SOCIAL JUSTICE WORKS Systemic Advocacy and Social Justice
INDIGENOUS VOICES
Applying an Indigenous Lens to Social Work Practice
ETHICS IN ACTION Bill 21: An Act to Protect Patients
ADVOCATE SPRING 2019
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VOLUME 44 | ISSUE 1
www.acsw.ab.ca
ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS
PAGE 22
NAVIGATING THE JOURNEY HOME Through Destination Home, social workers help patients return home from hospital.
STRESS, RESILIENCE, & HAPPINESS Instructor:
Michael E. Howard, Ph.D.
6 HOURS CREDIT (Social Workers) PROGRAM / LECTURE Conference registration is from 7:45 AM to 8:15 AM. The conference will begin at 8:30 AM. A lunch break (on your own) will take place from approximately 11:30 AM to 12:20 PM. The course will adjourn at 3:30 PM, at which time course completion certificates are distributed.
Registration: 7:45 AM – 8:30 AM Morning Lecture: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM • Perception, Thinking, Emotions, and Memory: Where Behavior Originates. • Life-Threatening Events: Why Do They Make Us Afraid, Angry, and Sad? • Happiness: An Emotion or a Mood? • Emotional Intelligence: A Key to Resilience? Social Intelligence? • How To “Six” Your Way To Happiness: Six Key Virtues and Their Major Strengths. • Acute Stress and Chronic Stress: Three Causes and Three Brain-Body Pathways of Fear. • Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: Stress from Ourselves or the World. • Chronic Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Negative Emotions and Moods. • Men, Women, and Stress: Sex and Gender Issues. Fight Or Flight Vs. Tend and Befriend. • Fear: Learning and Practicing Skills to Cope with Fear. Mid-Morning Lecture: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM • Achieving Tranquility: The Magic of Mindfulness Meditation. • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Stress Management: Change Your Mind, Change Your Body. • Dental Management of Patient Stress: Distractions, Control, and Expectations. • Resilience: Developing the Capacity to Bounce Back from Stress and Trauma. • Practice Makes Perfect: How Resilience Can Get Better Over Time.
• Building Resilience: Learning to Use 10 Key Strategies When Challenged. • One Size Does Not Fit All: The Many Methods of Developing Resilience. • Positive Psychology: The Science of Well-Being, Life Satisfaction, and Happiness. Lunch: 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM Afternoon Lecture: 12:20 PM – 2:00 PM • The “50-40-10” Rule: How Genetics, Personality, and the Environment Create Happiness. • Genes and Happiness: Are We Born Happy or Unhappy? Are There Happiness Genes? • Blissful Ignorance: Do People Really Know What Will Make Them Happy? • What Does Make Us Happy? What the Happiness Research Says. • Choices, Choices, Choices: Does Having More of Them Make Us Happier? • Happiness and Health: Does Greater Life Satisfaction Mean Less Disease and Longer Life? Mid-Afternoon Lecture: 2:00 PM – 3:20 PM • Learned Optimism: Challenging Negative Thinking, Appreciating Strengths, and Looking Up. • Savoring Pleasure: How Mindful Enjoyment Helps Create Happiness. • Nine Scientifically-Proven Ways To Feel More Joy In Life. • Simple Daily Exercises That Help To Increase Life Satisfaction And Well-Being. • Positive Psychology’s Role in Tough Times and Mental Health. Psychotherapies. Evaluation, Questions, and Answers: 3:20 PM – 3:30 PM
Biomed’s Website: www.biomedglobal.com
CALGARY, AB
Thu., April 11, 2019 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM The Glenmore Inn 2720 Glenmore Trail SE Calgary, AB T2C 2E6
MEETING TIMES & LOCATIONS
EDMONTON, AB
EDMONTON, AB
Fri., April 12, 2019 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM Radisson Hotel & Convention Center 4520 76th Avenue Northwest Edmonton, AB T6B 0A5
Thu., May 2, 2019 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM Radisson Hotel & Convention Center 4520 76th Avenue Northwest Edmonton, AB T6B 0A5
CALGARY, AB
Fri., May 3, 2019 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM Carriage House Inn 9030 Macloed Trail South Calgary, AB T2H 0M4
INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Michael E. Howard (Ph.D.) is a full-time psychologist-lecturer for INR. Dr. Howard is a board-certified clinical neuro-psychologist and health psychologist who is an internationally-recognized authority on brain-behavior relationships, traumatic brain injury, dementia, stroke, psychiatric disorders, aging, forensic neuro-psychology, and rehabilitation. During his 30-year career, Dr. Howard has been on the faculty of three medical schools, headed three neuro-psychology departments, and directed treatment programs for individuals with brain injury, dementia, addiction, chronic pain, psychiatric disorders, and other disabilities. Biomed reserves the right to change instructors without prior notice. Every instructor is either a compensated employee or independent contractor of Biomed.
FEE: CHEQUES: $109.00 (CANADIAN) per person with pre-registration or $134.00 (CANADIAN) at the door if space remains. CREDIT CARDS: Most credit-card charges will be processed in Canadian dollars. Some charges will be in U.S. dollars at the prevailing exchange rate. The tuition includes all applicable Canadian taxes. At the seminar, participants will receive a complete course syllabus. Tuition payment receipt will also be available at the seminar. TO REGISTER: Please complete and return the registration form below. Or online at: www.biomedglobal.com. Or register toll-free with Visa, MasterCard, American Express®, or Discover® by calling 1-888-724-6633. Or fax a copy of your completed registration form–including Visa, MasterCard, American Express®, or Discover® Number–to (925) 687-0860. ACCREDITATION INFORMATION
Social Workers completing this program will receive course completion certificates. This course is cosponsored by the Institute for Natural Resources (INR). This program is approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Provider #886502971-1267) for 6 Social Work continuing education contact hours.
REGISTRATION FORM
Please check course date:
(This registration form may be copied.)
Thu., April 11, 2019 (Calgary, AB) Fri., April 12, 2019 (Edmonton, AB)
Thu., May 2, 2019 (Edmonton, AB) Fri., May 3, 2019 (Calgary, AB)
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Please print:
Name: Profession: Home Address: Professional License #: City: State: Zip: Lic. Exp. Date: Home Phone: ( ) Work Phone: ( ) Employer: E-Mail: (needed for confirmation & receipt) Please enclose full payment with registration form. Check method of payment. Cheque for $109.00 (CANADIAN) (Make payable to Biomed General) Charge the equivalent of $109.00 (CANADIAN) to my Visa MasterCard
American Express®
Discover®
Most credit-card charges will be processed in Canadian dollars. Some charges will be in U.S. dollars at the prevailing exchange rate.
Card Number: Signature:
Please return form to: Biomed General Box #622 Unit 235, 3545-32 Avenue NE Calgary, AB T1Y 6M6 TOLL-FREE: 1-877-246-6336 TEL: (925) 602-6140 FAX: (925) 687-0860
(enter all raised numbers)
Exp. Date:
CVV:
(Card Security Code)
Please provide an e-mail address above to receive a confirmation and directions to the meeting site.
Please register early and arrive before the scheduled start time. Space is limited. Attendees requiring special accommodation must advise Biomed in writing at least 50 days in advance and provide proof of disability. Registrations are subject to cancellation after the scheduled start time. A transfer at no cost can be made from one seminar location to another if space is available. Registrants cancelling up to 72 hours before a seminar will receive a tuition refund less a $35.00 (CANADIAN) administrative fee or, if requested, a full-value voucher, good for one year, for a future seminar. Other cancellation requests will only be honored with a voucher. Cancellation or voucher requests must be made in writing. If a seminar cannot be held for reasons beyond the control of the sponsor (e.g., acts of God), the registrant will receive free admission to a rescheduled seminar or a full-value voucher, good for one year, for a future seminar. A $35.00 (CANADIAN) service charge applies to each returned cheque. A $15.00 fee will be charged for the issuance of a duplicate certificate. Fees are subject change without notice. The rate of exchange used will be the one prevailing at the time of the transaction.
© Biomed, 2019, CODE:SRH-C1000-SW
For all inquiries, please contact customer service at 1-877-246-6336 or (925) 602-6140.
THE
ADVOCATE
THE ADVOCATE Volume 44, Issue 1, Spring 2019 Published by: The Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) 550 10707 100 AVE NW, Edmonton AB T5J 3M1 Ph: 780-421-1167/Toll-free (in AB): 1-800-661-3089 Fax: 780-421-1168/Toll-free fax: 1-866-874-8931 acsw@acsw.ab.ca — acsw.ab.ca Executive Director & Registrar: Lynn Labrecque King, MSW, RSW acswexd@acsw.ab.ca Associate Registrar: Suzanne MacKinnon, MSW, RCSW associateregistrar@acsw.ab.ca Managers, Regulatory Practice/Complaints Directors: Bruce Llewellyn, MSW, RSW Sheryl Pearson, MSW, RSW, LLB acswregulatory@acsw.ab.ca Associate Director - Professional Practice & Advocacy: Jody-Lee Farrah, MSW, RSW assocdirector@acsw.ab.ca
COVER STORY: NAVIGATING THE JOURNEY HOME 22 Social workers help patients return home from hospital
Membership Activities - Team Lead: Charity Lui, MSW, RSW Social Workers - Membership Activities: Heather Johnson, SW Dip, RSW Andre Tinio, BSW, RSW Finance & Administration Officer: Kim Hyggen, CPA, CGA Finance & Administration Support: Audrey Kent, CPA, CMA Registration Coordinator: Brenda Gross Executive Assistant / Administrative Team Lead: Noreen Majek
FEATURE STORY 26 Healthy Aging Social Work in Primary Care
FEATURES
21 Jody-Lee Farrah – Associate Director, Professional Practice & Advocacy 22 Navigating the Journey Home 26 Healthy Aging Social Work in Primary Care – An Emerging Field AROUND OUR PROVINCE 4 Around Our Province IN THE NEWS 8 2018 Bursary Award Winners 10 Welcome to New RSWs & RCSWs INDIGENOUS VOICES 11 Applying an Indigenous Lens to Social Work Practice ETHICS IN ACTION 12 Bill 21: An Act to Protect Patients – What Does it Mean for Social Workers?
THE VOICES OF PRIVATE PRACTICE 16 Getting to Know the CASW Website
SOCIAL JUSTICE WORKS 14 Systemic Advocacy and Social Justice THE VOICES OF PRIVATE PRACTICE 16 Getting to Know the CASW Website – Resources for Private Practitioners RESEARCH & LEARNING IN ALBERTA'S COMMUNITIES 18 Fitting the Pieces Together DIPLOMA DIALOGUES 19 First Edmonton-Based Indigenous Social Work Program DAY IN THE LIFE 28 Danielle Olivieri FOR YOUR INFORMATION 30 The Advocate Editorial Policy 31 For Your Information
Administrative Support Professionals: Tracy Houben Carlena Johnson Jennifer Vasquez Tami Carlin Toni Harrison Emily Rypstra (Associate) Registration/Online Service Support Analyst: Laurie Nelson ACSW Council: President: Richard Gregory, MSc, RSW Vice President: Ajay Pandhi, MSW, RSW Secretary: Rick Guthrie, MSW, RSW Treasurer: Carla Bertsch, MSW, RSW Members at Large: Dayirai Kapfunde, MSW, RSW Enid Martin, MSW, RSW Jolene Spies, BSW, RSW Cody Murrell, BSW, RSW Connie Hesjedal, MSW, RSW Baiju Vareed, MSW Equiv, RSW Indigenous Social Work Committee Representative: Derek Chewka, MSW, RSW Public Members: Murray Hiebert Bukola Oladunni Salami Trevor Liskowich Charmaine Coutinho Laura Delfs Editorial Board: Cindy Haugen, BSW, RSW & Samuel Mammen, MSW Equiv, RSW (Co-Chairs) Michelle Humeny, RSW Darnel Forro, MSW, RSW Tasha Novick, BSW, RSW Sherri Tanchak, MSW, RSW Andrea Newberry-Koroluk, PhD, RSW Enid Martin, MSW, RSW Cardinal Fomradas, MSW, RSW Editorial services provided by Bird Communications Advertising space is available. To place an ad, contact activitiesadmin@acsw.ab.ca. The ACSW reserves the right to reject any submissions and advertising. Summer 2019 Issue Ad Deadline: April 15, 2019 Canadian subscriptions are $26/year (outside Canada: $26 US/year). Please immediately update your member profile with any address changes. ISSN 0847 - 2890 PM NO. 40050109 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO 550 10707 100 AVE NW, EDMONTON AB T5J 3M1
The opinions and interpretations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), its editorial board, or contractors. The aforementioned make no guarantee or warranty, either expressed or implied, about the accuracy or links contained in the Advocate, and are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages that could arise. All material ©2019 by the ACSW or by author. ACSW retains copyright when no author is listed. Reprint or copying (including digital or online reproduction in any form) of any Advocate material requires written consent of the ACSW.
Printing on Titan Dull text. 10% post consumer waste. Titan participates in a certified forest program.
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AROUND OUR PROVINCE BY CHARITY LUI, MSW, RSW
Child Poverty Partnership In partnership with Public Interest Alberta and the Edmonton Social Planning Council, ACSW released the 2018 Alberta Child Poverty Report entitled, “One in Six is Too Many”. This annual report aims to inform the public and policy makers of the effects of poverty, the current government’s attempts at reducing poverty, and to present the areas and programs in which they can improve. View the report here: https://www. pialberta.org/1in6istoomanyreport Since 2006, there has been 23.4% growth in the number of children in Alberta living in poverty.
Social Work Week in Alberta Real People. Real Impact. March 3-9, 2019 Let us know what you did to celebrate our profession! Send us your photos and a description to charity@ acsw.ab.ca and we will share on social media and in the Advocate.
The Advocate in Ontario Article Reprint The Advocate was pleased to receive a request from the Ontario Association of Social Workers to reprint an article from our Fall 2018 issue. “Why I Can No Longer Identify as Pro-Choice: An Abortion Advocate Speaks Out”, by Jessica Shaw, PhD, RSW, will be shared with OASW’s members.
Jessica Shaw
SEND US YOUR PHOTOS!
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SPRING 2019
Gerontology Events This fall, MacEwan University, University of Calgary and the ACSW Gerontology Network North Interest Group hosted a Geriatric Symposium. Members of the ACSW group participated in the planning and delivery of this successful event with over 80 in attendance. Discussion at the Symposium included how social work curriculum can address the rising geriatric populations. Also this fall, the ACSW’s Calgary Gerontological Social Work Action Group partnered with the University of Calgary. They hosted a screening and panel discussion of Gen Silent, a film highlighting the challenges of LGBTQ+ older adults.
Social Policy Partners ACSW staff members Jody-Lee Farrah, MSW, RSW, Vicki Shaughnessy, BSW, RSW, and Andre Tinio, RSW, along with Calgary social worker Mare Donly, MSW, RSW, attended the Parkland Institute’s annual conference held at the University of Alberta. The conference theme was Forces of Change, and it took a deep dive into our history, economy and social conflicts to better understand Alberta’s past, present, and future within Canada, North America, and the world. ACSW Associate Director Jody-Lee Farrah joined our social policy partners Public Interest Alberta and Friends of Medicare to celebrate the holidays. She also attended the annual Seasonal Open House at Parkland Institute.
Bill 26 Alberta social workers celebrated the passing of Bill 26: An Act to Combat Poverty and Fight for Albertans with Disabilities. This new legislation increases benefit rates for people receiving AISH, income support or seniors benefits, providing financial means for Albertans to meet the needs of daily living with dignity. In November, members of the ACSW Edmonton Social Action and Social Justice Interest Group were introduced to government on the day of the first reading of Bill 26. The group was also able to meet with Minister of Community and Social Services, Irfan Sabir. In January, ACSW Associate Director Jody-Lee Farrah and Diane Gray, RSW, of ACSW Calgary Social Workers for Social Justice joined antipoverty advocates at an event hosted by Minister Sabir to celebrate the passing of Bill 26. At the Alberta Legislature for Bill 26
Other Activities ACSW Council members and social workers from the Calgary area participated in a Blanket Exercise in January. This was facilitated by Chair of the ACSW Indigenous Committee, Derek Chewka, MSW, RSW. The Edmonton Social Action Social Justice Interest Group had the opportunity to meet with MLA David Shepherd in December. Mr. Shepherd was very candid about his personal experiences related to some of the issues presented at the meeting. We appreciate the work the Edmonton Social Action Group put into the research and development of a strong agenda for this meeting. See page 14 for details related to this meeting. Our annual Area Coordinator Retreat took place in the fall. These volunteers had the opportunity to celebrate their work, network with others and learn about event planning. The event included a presentation on Indigenous Practice with the ACSW Indigenous Committee Chair, Derek Chewka. Anne-Marie McLaughlin, MSW, RSW and Minister Lori Sigurdson, MSW, RSW, also presented research and personal experience related to social workers in politics.
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AROUND OUR PROVINCE
MAiD workshop
Sheryl Pearson with Keyano College students
Professional Development Fort McMurray In October, Sheryl Pearson, MSW, RSW, one of ACSW’s Managers, Regulatory Practice/Complaints Directors, facilitated presentations related to our Standards of Practice in Fort McMurray. Both local social workers and social work students from Keyano College appreciated gaining knowledge of this important topic. Thank you to the Fort McMurray Area Coordinators for organizing this event. Also this fall, the Fort McMurray Area Coordinators hosted a Blanket Exercise. The event was at full capacity and open to the public. Northern Lakes College Suzanne MacKinnon, MSW, RCSW, ACSW’s Associate Registrar, did a presentation for Northern Lakes College to first and second year students. She covered the role of ACSW and registration requirements after graduation. The presentation utilized the school’s online blackboard for learners from across the province. Edmonton The Edmonton Area Coordinators hosted a Medical Assistance in Dying workshop in November. Dr. Douglas Faulder, MD, the medical lead for the Medical Assistance in Dying Care Coordination Team in Edmonton and Calgary, was the primary presenter. Bradley Peter (from Dying with Dignity), Troy Stooke (a retired social worker), and Dr. Nikoo Najand, PhD (AHS Clinical Ethicist) participated in a panel that looked at personal lived experience, advocacy and ethics. The ACSW Retired Social Workers Group hosted their quarterly Schlesinger Lecture, a lunch and learn meeting in December. Anne McLellan, former Liberal MP for Edmonton Centre and former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, provided a short lecture.
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SPRING 2019
Calgary Holiday Social
Edmonton holiday social
Cold Lake paint night
Christmas and the New Year is a time to gather with friends and family. Across the province, ACSW supported the following:
The fun-filled evening was attended by Minister Richard Feehan, MLA Bob Wanner, and the representatives from the local social work faculties.
The Edmonton Area Coordinators hosted their annual Holiday Social for social workers and their families.
Calgary Area Coordinators also hosted their annual Holiday Social. A family event for the first time, social
workers attended with their partners and children. Greetings were given by Jackie Sieppert, PhD, RSW, from the University of Calgary, Yasmin Dean, MSW, RSW, from Mount Royal College and Thalia Anderen, MSW, RSW, with Bow Valley College.
Holiday Events
ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT ENDING POVERTY IN CANADA?
Fort McMurray Area Coordinators had their Holiday Social Brunch. Social workers from the area came together to celebrate, network, and enjoy the holiday season. Other areas in the province that celebrated the season together included: •
Cold Lake, where local area coordinators hosted a paint night for social workers.
•
The area coordinator in High Prairie hosted a Christmas party for local social workers.
•
Social workers in Jasper took a shuttle together to Jasper Park Lodge where they enjoyed snacks and networking.
•
In Canmore, the Bow Valley area coordinators hosted a breakfast for social workers.
Join the Canadian Poverty Institute for the annual
KNOW POVERTY Poverty Studies Summer Institute April 29 – May 25 Ambrose University Calgary, Alberta Join a unique learning community as we explore the material, social and spiritual dimensions of poverty. Courses and workshops include Shock Poverty, the Sociology of Poverty, the Psychological Impacts of Poverty, Advocacy for Social Change, Gender-Based Analysis and Trauma-Informed Care. For more information, please visit www.povertyinstitute.ca/poverty-studies-summer-institute
CHARITY LUI is the Membership Activities Team Lead. You can contact her at Charity@acsw.ab.ca regarding submissions for the Advocate.
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IN THE NEWS
2018 Bursary Award Winners ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT with their community, their educational institute and with the Alberta College of Social Workers – these are the criteria students must meet to qualify for the ACSW’s Bursary Fund. The following recipients were successful in their applications to receive a $1000 bursary in 2018. Congratulations on demonstrating your commitment to the profession of social work!
Brittany Gadwa, SW Dip Student, University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į
nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills Brittany Gadwa is a strong resilient Cree woman from Kehewin Cree Nation. She is a single mother of an incredible three–year-old girl, who is Brittany’s motivation to work towards her goals. Brittany was raised with strong role models and great confidence by her parents, Tammy Gadwa and Arnold John. She is in her second year of the Social Work diploma program at University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills and will graduate in June 2019. Brittany will attend Blue Quills in the fall of 2019 to work towards her Degree. With attending Blue Quills, Brittany has learned about her Indigenous history, intergenerational trauma and its impact on her people. Her wish is to give back to her community and help grow healthy surroundings for future generations.
Kristina Laban,
BA, SW Dip Student, MacEwan University Kristina is a third year, part-time Social Work Diploma student at MacEwan University. They balance their course load with a full-time job at the Elizabeth Fry Society, delivering a program to teen girls on the topics of self-esteem, healthy relationships and sexuality, and more. Kristina is also a freelance queer & trans-inclusive sexuality educator who has facilitated training for queer youth, students, adults and teachers. Kristina completed a BA in Recreation, Sport and Tourism but realized that the field of social work deeply aligns with their values. Post-diploma, Kristina plans to enter an MSW program to have a sex therapy practice. Kristina hopes to bring compassion, empathy, laughter and a critical eye to their work. Receiving this bursary is an honour, and is bringing them one step closer to their dream career.
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SPRING 2019
Nozipho Moyo, SW Dip Student, NorQuest College Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Nozipho Moyo emigrated in 2016. She is a second year social work student at NorQuest College. She completed her first practicum with the Alberta Children’s Services office, and there she gained an interest in research and policy development. She works part-time as a research clerk with NorQuest College and as a research assistant with the University of Calgary, Faculty of Social Work, Edmonton campus. Nozipho also actively volunteers at her college and within her community. Looking forward, Nozipho plans to proceed onto the BSW program in the fall.
Dawn Rae, SW Dip Student, MacEwan University
Dawn Rae resides in the Edmonton area and is just finishing up her Social Work diploma at MacEwan University. Dawn plans to maintain her previous 18-year career as a massage therapist. In the past, Dawn has been an Instructor/Facilitator for massage techniques and self-care practices, as well as taking on various volunteer roles which include delivering injury prevention content to audiences. With her addictions counsellor training and Indigenous-based teachings, she feels ready to start her career as a social worker.
Zeljka Udovicic, SW Dip, BSW Student, University of Calgary
Community-based Learning Circles Program, Red Deer Born in Croatia, I came to Canada in 2002 after living in Serbia as a refugee for 11 years. My interest in social work stems from those lived experiences. Due to difficulties in getting my education recognized in Canada, I enrolled in the Social Work program at Red Deer College. I am now completing the University of Calgary’s Community-based Learning Circles Program in Red Deer. I am eager to enter the social work profession. I would like to thank my instructors for their unlimited support and encouragement. I also thank my family, husband, mom and son, because without their support, I would not be able to complete this educational journey.
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IN THE NEWS
Welcome to New RSWs & RCSWs TOTAL MEMBERSHIP OF REGISTERED SOCIAL WORKERS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2018
8,315
Brooke Allemang
Mohammad El Kadri
Manju Joshy
Fringina A. Mukaga
Lindy Anne Margaret Smith
Andrea Jane Ansley
Bryn Bond Evans
Vibha Kaushik
Suluter Nana Baah
Virginia Bernadette Steele
Anu Arikkathil Ravindran
Emily Eveleigh
Kacey Cheyenne Klaassen
Perfect Ndlovu
Taige Parker Stevenson
Kristin Renee Armstrong
Ashley Irene Fairall
Rayven Murielle Roberta
Obi Obi Njockobi
Michelle Lorraine Teskey
Jessa Farmer
Klyne
Godspower Ikechukwu Nmai
Tonya Naomi Ruth Patricia
Belinda Asahchop
Candace Vivian Fehr
Taylor Tamera Kohler
Emily Kathryn North
Thompson
Elizabeth Asefa
Craig Matthew First Rider
Marie Laska
Rachel Erika Norton
Vickie Thompson
Kristina Lee Lecomte
Josephine Rosa Nuyebga
Jenna Le-Anne Threinen
Trevor Wade Letondre
Ese Elebhose Obaseki
Deborah Ann Thunder
Trudy Michelle Lewandowski
Peyton Lee Opsahl
Virginia Dolores Valenzuela
Nancy Lopes
Adrienne O’Sullivan
Betty Laura Vallejo
William Luchka
Arpi Hemang Parikh
Veronika Varvaruk
Hayley Michelle Lynch
Lisa Perrier
Lay Choo Quilana Veyra
Natasha MacDonald
Eleah Noelle Peters
Clint William Villardo
Sarah May Armstrong
Courtney Dawn Aubichon
Jordynn Fitch
Meghan Allison Badger
Tanis Emillienne Flett
Arshbir Abby Kaur Bains
Jacqueline Grace Foreman
Theresa Lyn Banks
Amanda Rochelle Gear
Jon Bateman
Amanda Mary Rose Gillard
Elizabeth Hope Bekar
Luciana Laird Giuricich
Michelle Belair
Nicole Jordan Ashley
Brittany Blake
Glowaski
Sarah Margaret MacGillivray
Pietronella Philipsen
Kayla Waywanko
Melanie Joy Bodhi
Dani Goddard
Meagan Elizabeth Mah
Jonathan Thomas Piderman
Jeanine Anne Webber
Kara-Leah Gonty
Deanna Odelle Marche
Sarah Pink
Tashayna White-Shaw
Cristin Bostrom
Miranda Carolyn Faith
Shelby P. Marcoccia
LeeRona Reid
Sarah Woodard
Heather Suzanne Bouwman
Goodwin
Josilyn Louise Martens
Catherine Alice Rippon
Halie Michelle Worsfold
Jessica Ashley Boyle
Suzanne Razieh Haghighi
Alexandra Sarah Martin
Kursten Lynne Riswold
Katherine Lee Wotherspoon
Kristl Jordaine Bray
Erin Hample
Brooke Ashley McCharles
Lee Miller Ruckman
Sonja Jaye Harder
Anne Kathleen McGregor
Gail Marie Scheuring
Jose Caraballo Marrero
Conny Marty Hazenberg-
Roslin Marie Mckechnie
Christine Joanne Seibel
Anna Chpilevaia
Meeuwsen
Kaylea Ann McKenna
Bhupendra Sharma
Brittany Adeline Clark
Sarah Howden
Kimberley Joyce Miller
Lamichhane
Miranda Leigh Crandall
Jessica Lori Marie Irving
Holly Ann Molter
Pamela Irene Shipton
Dixie Crowshoe
Michal Angela Israel
Victoria Lynn Moreau
Bridgette Singh
Grace Olajumoke Dada
Erin Gena Jack
Gillian Sri Morrison
Michael John Skilnick
Rachelle Desautels
Emrys Claire Jacobs
Sarah Michelle Motokado
Janelle Deborah Slawson
Samantha Aurore Doccy
Olanike Jalade
Katherine Done
Sajith Simon James
Angela Rose Dore
Debbie Janet-Lynne Jansen
Amy Laura Dornian
Kim Lee Ann Jeffrey
Janice Rae Driver
Joshy Menachery John
Jennifer Eld
Angela Wilson
Zermeena Durrani
Katelyn Carol Elise Johnston
Alan McLuckie
Rhonda Surowaniec
Lisa Jane Bondt
Kristen Nicole Brummund
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SPRING 2019
TOTAL RCSW MEMBERSHIP AS OF JANUARY 15, 2019
238
Naomi Varricchio
INDIGENOUS VOICES
Applying an Indigenous Lens to Social Work Practice
mind – a concept that is not typically taught in Western social work education. When I apply an Indigenous lens, I am holding my relationships in the highest regard. When viewed through an Indigenous lens, relationships mean so much more than simply the relationship between you and a client. It includes entering a relationship with our ancestors,
BY DEREK CHEWKA, MSW, RSW
Practicing with an Indigenous lens means making a concentrated effort to combine your heart and your mind – a concept that is not typically taught in Western social work education
WHAT IS MEANT BY “seeing things through an Indigenous lens”? I want to preface my answer by clarifying that this article is by no means an exhaustive answer to the question. Rather, it’s one of reflection that will hopefully leave you wanting to learn and understand more. It’s important to always remember, there are many ways of knowing. Personally, for my social work practice, the term Indigenous lens is
my attempt to connect Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing with Western social work practices. Infusing Indigenous knowledge is intended to help others understand a different and in-depth perspective. It’s a perspective that allows one to take what you believe holds meaning and value for you, and add it to your tool box. Practicing with an Indigenous lens means making a concentrated effort to combine your heart and your
drawing on ancestral knowledge, and acknowledging a relationship with the cosmos and the land. It might sound strange to reflect and discuss these things in relation to social work practice, but we need to have these conversations. In doing so, opportunities are created for new knowledge to be shared and utilized. We all have a responsibility to look at things through an Indigenous lens.
DEREK CHEWKA is the chair of the ACSW Indigenous Social Work Committee.
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ETHICS IN ACTION
Bill 21: An Act to Protect Patients – What Does it Mean for Social Workers? BY SHERYL PEARSON, MSW, RSW, LLB
ALL SOCIAL WORKERS are governed by the Health Professions Act. Bill 21 is an amendment to the Health Professions Act that introduced mandatory disciplinary sanctions for conduct by regulated members deemed to be “sexual abuse” and “sexual misconduct”. Both types of conduct are defined in the Health Professions Act for the purpose of addressing complaints of this nature. Refer to Bill 21 or the Health Professions Act, December 2018 for the definitions, or visit http://www. alberta.ca/protecting-patientsagainst-sexual-abuse.aspx. As part of the implementation of Bill 21, the Alberta College of Social Workers needed to revise the Standards of Practice. The proposed draft Standards of Practice were submitted to the Government of Alberta in January 2019 after a brief consultation with members of the profession. These Standards have not yet been approved by the Minister of Health or adopted by Council at the time this article was written. While we anticipate changes, here’s what we proposed:
Which clients are “patients” for the purposes of Bill 21? Bill 21 uses the language “patient”; however, social workers do not use this language to refer to the people we work with. As such, we needed to establish which of the clients we work with will be “patients” for the purpose of Bill 21 amendments to the Health Professions Act: a) Sexual abuse – for the purpose of complaints made regarding sexual abuse, clients will be “patients” when: i. There is a reasonable expectation that services will extend beyond a single encounter; or ii. The professional relationship has been formed and has not ended; or iii. The social worker engages in conduct with a former client within one year of ceasing to be the client’s social worker. b) Sexual misconduct – for the purpose of complaints made regarding sexual misconduct, clients will be patients when: i. Professional services are, or
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have been, provided to a client or former client by the social worker within the past year. Notably: • Even professions that refer to their clients as “patients”, such as physicians, needed to define who is a “patient” for the purpose of the Health Professions Act amended by Bill 21; • All conduct with a patient of the nature contained in the definition of “sexual abuse” will be considered sexual abuse, whether or not it may have been considered “consensual”, and will result in the mandatory cancellation of a practice permit;
It is recommended that social workers exclude all clients and former clients from their dating pool and not provide social work services to their spouse • Some social workers have very episodic contact with the recipients of their services (e.g., referral, crisis intervention) in which there is little expectation of recognizing they were a service recipient in the prior year. As a result, the requirement that there must be a reasonable expectation that services will extend beyond a single encounter exists to mitigate the risk that a social worker who unwittingly engages in a consensual sexual relationship with a former client of single-encounter social
work services could be found guilty of sexual abuse resulting in cancellation of practice permit; • Conversely, sexual misconduct is always unwelcome or objectionable behaviour, whether a social worker provided services one time or 20 times to a client, and a social worker deemed to have committed sexual misconduct will be subject to mandatory suspension; • The one-year time frame in the definition of patient is intended to address the power imbalance that persists even after the professional relationship is recently completed. For this reason, social workers cannot terminate a professional relationship in order to enter into a sexual relationship with a former client. Prohibited Relationships (F.7) – It’s recommended that you remove clients from your dating pool…forever Standard F.7 in the Standards of Practice has always recognized sexual/ romantic relationships with clients/ former clients within 24 months as a prohibited relationship. F.7 has been expanded to state that if a sexual OR romantic relationship happens after one year, it may not be sexual abuse for the purpose of the Health Professions Act, but the relationship is still prohibited for 24 months (and considered unprofessional conduct), and may never be appropriate, (in the case of psychotherapeutic treatment, for instance.) Special Circumstances (F.6) codifies that sex and social work services do not go together! F.6 deals with the very limited situations when a social worker can provide professional services to a
spouse, adult interdependent partner, or person with whom they have a preexisting sexual relationship. The proposed Standards of Practice state that it is considered unprofessional conduct for a social worker to provide professional services to a spouse, adult interdependent partner, or a person with whom they are in a preexisting sexual relationship unless the following conditions are met: i. The professional services are in response to an emergency; and ii. Another health professional is not readily available, or the individual receiving the services could suffer harm from delay in obtaining the services from another health professional.
While there may be many questions and ‘what if’s’ regarding the Bill 21 amendments to the Health Professions Act, the moral of the story is: sex and social work services don’t mix! It is recommended that social workers exclude all clients and former clients from their dating pool and not provide social work services to their spouse. Keep up-to-date on the implementation of Bill 21 by visiting https://acsw.in1touch.org/site/Bill 21 Implementation
SHERYL PEARSON is a Manager of Regulatory Practice for the Alberta College of Social Work.
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SOCIAL JUSTICE WORKS
Systemic Advocacy and Social Justice BY JESSE ORJASAETER, MSW STUDENT, KAYLA DAS, BSW, RSW, AND SADIA SAMEEULLAH, BSW, RSW
support and funding we need, the problem and impact gets bigger for the family, turning into depression and increased risk of suicide.” This problem is exacerbated when an individual lives on reserve. The Government of Alberta and its partners have made a positive impact with the trilateral memorandum to fully implement Jordan’s Principle. This step is not to be belittled. However, there remains a remarkable gap as PDD funding is not available to First Nations adults living on reserve. Our conversation on this topic with MLA Shepherd was comprehensive, and included intersecting issues of AISH funding and limited affordable and supportive housing. Our suggestions are: •
PDD: Re-think the IQ threshold, and ask instead, “What is this individual’s quality of life and how can society improve it and support this person?”
•
AISH Income Cut-Off: Re-examine what is sufficient income to lead a good quality of life.
•
Housing: Invest sustainably in cooperative and supportive housing programs.
Front: Sadia Sameeullah, MLA Shepherd, Vicki Shaughnessy Back: Kayla Das, Derek Chewka, Jesse Orjasaeter, Andre Tinio
THE ALBERTA COLLEGE of Social Worker’s (ACSW) Edmonton Social Action and Social Justice Member Interest Group (SASJ) was pleased to host David Shepherd, MLA for Edmonton-Centre, this last December. The SASJ group decided in 2018 to examine a handful of government programs, and make suggestions to reduce barriers in accessing supports. The group invited MLA Shepherd to discuss our findings regarding Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD), Alberta Supports, and supports for survivors of family violence. Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) With the PDD review underway and the Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities recently established, it is timely for social 14
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workers to raise awareness of the challenges experienced by Albertans with developmental disabilities, their families, and caregivers. Jesse Orjasaeter, MSW Student, is an Advocate Representative at the Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities. While preparing this piece, he was a Research Assistant with the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. Through these positions, he has heard many stories on the challenges faced accessing supports through PDD. A common theme is the current IQ threshold of 70 or below. Clients may experience significant challenges to living independently, but still not qualify for supports due to their IQ. As one self-advocate shared, “When we don’t get the
Alberta Supports With the best intentions of increasing service capacity, Alberta Supports has adopted a call-centre model. This is a shift away from the past, when clients received individualized, client-centred services, and specific workers. Kayla Das, BSW, RSW is an Intensive Case Manager at WIN House, an emergency shelter for women and children fleeing family violence, and has heard from clients and other front-line workers
that this new approach commonly results in longer wait times and decreased efficacy for clients. For example, a senior was escaping family violence, and had significant mobility issues. She had been moved to a safe house, but required additional supports. The social worker contacted Alberta Supports and was told the client must visit their office in-person to apply. The social worker advocated for alternate arrangements to accommodate the client’s mobility issues with no success. They and the client called approximately 10 times, and were unable to talk to an Alberta Supports worker as the line would spontaneously hang up. The social worker called various office locations, with no success, and the client did not receive assistance from Alberta Supports. Social workers have also reported being redirected several times before they speak with someone who has an in-depth understanding of the programs, and in some cases, they receive incorrect or incomplete information. The SASJ group is grateful for the recent changes implemented in Bill 26, which increased some income support and financial benefit rates, and we acknowledge that there is good work being done; however, we have also identified the need for crucial improvements. Our suggestions are: •
•
Provide specific/designated workers to clients, and return to a client-centred model. Re-introduce the Mobile Social Assistance Worker whereby clients would be able to meet
Alberta Supports in comparison
a worker where they are at when barriers to mobility and transportation are present. Family Violence The complex issue of family violence cuts through all demographics. Sadia Sameeullah, BSW, RSW, has been working with family violence prevention and intervention programs for the past decade and has managed both first and second stage shelters for women. In writing this section, she has adopted a female perspective, but we respectfully acknowledge that family violence exists across genders. Amongst multiple barriers encountered by survivors, inadequate financial support through Alberta Supports and lack of affordable and safe housing are most significant. When a survivor of family violence receives the current important but inadequate rates of financial assistance, the possibility of securing market housing in safe and crime-free neighbourhoods in Edmonton is highly unlikely. There are long waitlists for subsidized and transitional housing. Some women, as a last resort, return to their abusers to keep a roof over their head.
to affordable rental market housing rates. •
To incorporate a traumainformed perspective in the structural design of programs and services, operational logistics, and in the writing and implementation of policies pertinent to family violence.
Conclusion Social workers are in a unique position to hold our government programs and systems to a high standard and identify and propose strategies to remove barriers. In keeping with the fundamental values of our profession, we advocate to preserve the dignity, respect and self-worth of individuals accessing services and supports through PDD, Alberta Supports, and for survivors of family violence. We were encouraged after our meeting with MLA Shepherd and feel confident that these issues will not be forgotten. We appreciate MLA Shepherd taking the time to meet and engage with us, and believe that our advocacy efforts will continue to invite further
The current Government of Alberta deserves accolades for recognizing the significance of wrap-around services for victims of family violence. The recent increase in funding for sexual violence intervention support services, intensive case work and outreach support to the victims of family violence is commendable. However, the SASJ group feels there is room for improvement.
discussion and improvements.
Our suggestions are:
Interest Groups” to find out more. We
•
To conduct a review of the rates of assistance through
Thankfully, we have groups of dedicated social workers around Alberta who continue to meet with each other to discuss and bring these issues forward. Our newest group is Alberta Social Workers United Against Family Violence. All members are welcome to join this or any of our other groups. Look on our website, www.acsw.ab.ca under “Member look forward to working together to raise awareness and affect change! THE ADVOCATE
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THE VOICES OF PRIVATE PRACTICE
Getting to Know the CASW Website – Resources for Private Practitioners BY TERESA WINFIELD, MSW, RCSW
IF YOU ARE A SOCIAL WORKER currently in private practice or if you are thinking of starting one up, having a look at the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) website may be of great benefit to you. It takes a few clicks of the mouse to find the resources for social workers interested in private practice, but it’s well worth it to connect to the wealth of information there that could help you to cover all your bases.
at your fingertips to help you to investigate the possibility of opening your own practice. Want to know how to minimize risk? What advertising and promotion of your practice might look like? Follow the links “Minimize Risk” and “Promote Services” to find important considerations regarding liability issues and how to introduce your practice to the community along with other ways to create a strong practice on the front-end.
On the CASW home page (www. casw-acts.ca), click on Resources at the top of the page, and then Private Practice Portal. You’ll find about 75 different resource sections that address all different aspects of what is needed to create and maintain a healthy and thriving practice.
For those who have a practice up and running but aren’t sure how to increase their client base and market their skills, the site has a section on promoting yourself including, “Network(ing) in the community” and how to “Generate referrals.”
Are you contemplating a change and wondering if social work private practice is for you? Just click on “Is private practice for me?” and check out the pros and cons, or read about what a day in the life of a practitioner might look like. There are numerous hyperlinks available 16
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Social workers who go into private practice are often seen as seasoned clinicians who have a great deal of knowledge and experience. However, it’s important to remember that a solid practice is built on the foundational value of lifelong learning. And just as a career in the public sector offers ongoing learning opportunities that
can deepen your clinical skills, so can private practice. Your needs may change from contemplation to inception and then as your practice grows. A private practice will also allow you to get in touch with your entrepreneurial spirit and really understand the nuances involved with being your own boss. In Section 10 of the portal,
Resources, private practitioners will
Whether you are wondering if private
find links to useful information such
practice is right for you, or if you
as blogs, forms, and other suggested
already have a functioning private
ways of building a website or looking
practice, the CASW Private Practice
into the ethics that guide private
Portal likely has something for you.
practitioners’ work. There is even a
Using the tools that are available to
link for a free and comprehensive
you may make the difference between
practice analysis if you aren’t sure
being stuck and experiencing a short-
which direction you would like to take.
term setback.
TERESA WINFIELD is a social worker in private practice with seventeen years of experience. She specializes in working with youth who have demonstrated sexually concerning behaviours and the families who care for them.
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RESEARCH & LEARNING IN ALBERTA'S COMMUNITIES
FITTING THE PIECES TOGETHER
BY DON MCSWINEY
MAKING THE JOURNEY into adulthood is challenging. It’s an awkward time, bodies change, voices crack, and seemingly overnight, rules and expectations change. For youth experiencing mental health or addictions challenges (or both), navigating the transition to adulthood is even more complex, particularly when they’re engaged with multiple systems of care. An energetic research team from the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work is leading an ambitious, provincewide project hoping to enhance the way these systems work together and how they might best meet the needs of youth at this critical time. “When multiple systems are involved, things get a bit complex, and that developmental age, 18 to 24, is particularly important,” explains Sheliza Ladhani, a recent MSW grad and research assistant on the project. “We’re seeing that it takes longer now for young people to transition to adulthood.” Ambitious Alberta-wide project The research project, led by Faculty of Social Work researcher, Dr. Gina Dimitropoulos, PhD, RSW, recently completed the first phase of the epic project, conducting more than 250 qualitative interviews with service providers across different sectors as well as youth and their families. In particular, Dimitropoulos wants to ensure the voice of youth stands out. “They’re often the ones that are really marginalized,” she explains, “A lot of times, for a variety of reasons including trauma, they feel disempowered and disengage from services at a really young age.” Dimitropoulos points out that the research is a collaboration with the participants and a team of talented student researchers, including Olivia Cullen, MSW, RSW, a social work PhD student who says it’s fantastic that she and the team are given the opportunity to be part of such important research. 18
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PHOTO: KLOIE PICOT
A province-wide research program is examining how Alberta’s systems might work together to help youth transition to adult services Dr. Gina Dimitropoloulos, Sheliza Ladhani, Olivia Cullen and Natalie Dawes
“Anecdotally, you see that a lot of youth are involved in these systems and their outcomes aren’t good,” says Cullen. “One of the cool things about this project is that we get to work with youth and amplify those voices so that they’ll have improved outcomes.” Finding the nuggets of excellent practice Dimitropoulos and her team have racked up a lot of mileage meeting with service providers. The team points out that there are many great programs across the province, and many experts who make a difference in the lives of youth. The point of the research is to break down silos between different areas to make the transition for youth easier. She says that people working in the various organizations have been eager to be heard. Natalie Dawes is an MSW student who says that part of this project is pointing out what’s already working well. “I think it’s important for us to find those nuggets of really excellent or promising practice…and elevate them,” says Dawes. “Sometimes youth are succeeding in spite of the system, not because of it. But there are also people inside the systems doing amazing work that could drastically change practice across the province.” Next steps: Recommendations and set priorities The team is currently learning from the first phase of the project. This work will inform a nominal group technique process with sector-specific panels for education, health, child welfare, social services, justice and service users. These panels will generate ideas and priorities that can be implemented into systems based on feasibility and sustainability. As Cullen says, “We really don’t want any of the research we’re doing to sit on a shelf.” DONALD MCSWINEY is the manager of Communications and Marketing in the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work.
DIPLOMA DIALOGUES
FIRST EDMONTONBASED INDIGENOUS SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM BY GINO RESTIVO, MSW, RSW YTC Social Work diploma class
YELLOWHEAD TRIBAL COLLEGE’S Indigenous Social Work Diploma program is the first of its kind to be delivered through an Edmonton-based college. After delivering a multitude of successful social work diploma programs through various post-secondary institutions, Yellowhead Tribal College (YTC) applied for and received Candidacy Status on April 5, 2017 to deliver its own Indigenous social work diploma program. The program started on September of 2017 and will graduate the first cohort on June 30, 2019. There are presently 22 students enrolled in the program. Program Description The program is a dynamic, culturally- and traumainformed diploma that focuses on Indigenous knowledge as a form of de-colonization and empowerment. Students are immersed in cultural renewal and discovery while learning the main pillars of social work practice. Students commence each year with land-based training consisting of ceremonial learning from YTC Elders and Knowledge Keepers. Integrated into the program are courses in Indigenous Language, Natural Helping systems, Colonization and Breaking the Cycle of Trauma. The cultural content is delivered by Yellowhead Tribal Elders and students are mentored by both experienced Indigenous and non-Indigenous social worker supervisors during fieldwork placements. Students also have daily access to Elders and YTC Knowledge Keepers. Non-social work courses are geared to enhance knowledge in the areas of First Nation history, language, culture, governance and multiculturalism. The YTC Indigenous Diploma has a multitude of courses that facilitate student learning and healing through traditional culturally-appropriate practices. Many
of the students entering social work are children of residential school survivors and as a result, have often experienced extensive intergenerational family and cultural disintegration. The cultural courses and the core social work courses focus on effective problem-solving and making culturally appropriate healthy choices. The program is taught from a trauma-informed, decolonization perspective addressing the structural socio-economic issues that create barriers to success. This approach is essential in preparing entry-level practitioners to effect change within the various areas of social work practice. The design and delivery of the program is vital to ensuring that the program is relevant to the needs of learners and the communities. In the course ‘Natural Helping Systems’, students are encouraged to draw on the wisdom of their ancestors and the teachings of their people to promote diversity of Indigenous worldviews while learning about social work in the learning environment. The ‘Impacts of Colonization on Current Canadian Social Policy’ course examines present realities of Indigenous peoples in the context of contemporary colonialism and blends social work social policy theories with Indigenous world views. Students learn the devastating effects of colonization through classes and fieldwork and apply the skills and knowledge learned from Elders, ceremonies and landbased learning to address the impacts of colonization. In addition, through the teaching of Indigenous knowledge and ceremony, relationships with other students, instructors and Elders, students form a strong sense of identity and transfer this knowledge to their families and communities. The program teaches how historical and intergenerational trauma has impacted Indigenous people and equips them with the knowledge and skills to Continued on page 20 confront the many layers of trauma. THE ADVOCATE
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Continued from page 19
One major way of passing on knowledge in the classroom is through circles. This method of instruction facilitates the learning of contemporary social work theories through a culturally-friendly and transformative practice. Circle learning equalizes the power differentials that are common in most western educational institutions and facilitates more effective learning, listening, sharing, and self-reflection. The circle is also more conducive for the inclusion of Elders and ceremonial practices.
Future Direction With more than 80,000 self-identifying Indigenous members in the Edmonton region and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations, the new YTC Indigenous Social Work Diploma program should grow and flourish. Its goal is to graduate an abundance of qualified, accredited and competent Indigenous social workers to address the many spiritual, social, political and economic injustices that have befallen Indigenous people and communities.
Students Although YTC is open to all Nations, all of our students in the first cohort are of Indigenous heritage. Students have come from as far as Yellowknife, Saskatchewan and Northern Alberta. The program has students from both urban and surrounding First Nation communities.
GINO RESTIVO is the Indigenous Social Work Department Head and Interim President at Yellowhead Tribal College.
University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work
What projects would you like to tackle this year? Faculty of Social Work practicum students provide the skills and energy to spark those projects you’ve been trying to do. Supervisors earn 20 ACSW Category A credits, and gain full access to our UCalgary library and online journals. You’ll also be granted the title of Adjunct professor, reflecting the crucial role you play in social work education in Alberta. Find out more about the benefits of becoming a field instructor: ucalgary.ca/fsw/https://fsw.ucalgary.ca/home/field-education
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FEATURE STORY
ACSW Welcomes Jody-Lee Farrah BY SHAWNA DIRKSEN
Advocacy has remained a common thread in Jody-Lee’s career. In 2005, she moved to Alberta where she took on a unique challenge at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre in Fort McMurray. As the first (and only) social worker in the hospital, she helped patients overcome social issues to gain access to care. “I had to show people how social work is a valuable part of a health care setting.”
FOR JODY-LEE FARRAH, MSW, RSW, a summer job inspired her lifelong passion for social work. As a teenager, Jody-Lee spent her summers volunteering at a camp for kids just outside the small Newfoundland town where she grew up. Jody-Lee decided she wanted to pursue a career in a “helping profession,” and social work was a natural fit. Jody-Lee’s career has taken her in many directions – not only across Canada, but also from a front-line service provider to an organizational leader. Jody-Lee started her career in Ontario, where she earned a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Windsor. After graduation, she started with a small, grassroots advocacy organization where she advocated for seniors and adults with disabilities.
After three years in Fort McMurray, Jody-Lee moved back to Newfoundland. While reacquainting herself with her east coast roots, she completed her Masters of Social Work with a specialization in Leadership through a distance learning course through the University of Calgary. “When I was completing my Masters, I had been in social work for about 10 years. It was a great opportunity to stop and think about the next step in my career. In social work, if your mind is open, the opportunities are endless.” Jody-Lee found her next opportunity with the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Social Workers as the Associate Registrar. “Working for a regulatory body, I went from front-line to policy. I got to be in a leadership role working to advance the profession of social work. It led me to focus on the breadth and depth of the profession.” In 2014, opportunity knocked for Jody-Lee and her family, bringing
them west again – this time to Edmonton. The move was perfectly timed for Jody-Lee to continue her career in advocacy. The Alberta government was creating the Office of Alberta Health Advocates, and Jody-Lee was well-suited to help build it from the ground up. “We’d hear people’s concerns [about Alberta’s health care system], work with them to create a plan and empower them to self-advocate.” Last summer Jody-Lee heard about an opportunity she “just had to go for.” In August 2018, she joined the ACSW as Associate Director, Professional Practice and Advocacy. For Jody-Lee, this role ties together everything she loves about her work. “I’m back to my roots – connecting with social workers, advocating for issues that are meaningful to people across the province and helping create a strong voice for our profession …It’s a dream job. I’m learning more about what people need to thrive, then I’m bringing that to a government table.” As a leader in her field, Jody-Lee doesn’t hesitate to give back to her community. She is a board member of the Erika Legacy Foundation, which raises awareness around mental health, in particular suicide. When Jody-Lee isn’t hard at work in the ACSW office or volunteering, you’ll likely find her spending time with her family – her husband, sixyear-old daughter and ten-year-old pug named Haggis.
SHAWNA DIRKSEN is a freelance writer based in Edmonton. She loves skiing in the winter and running outdoors in the summer, and can often be found on a spin bike in between. THE ADVOCATE
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COVER STORY
NAVIGATING THE JOURNEY HOME BY MEL PRIESTLEY
Through Destination Home, social workers help patients return home from hospital
T
HE CONCEPT BEHIND DESTINATION HOME IS SIMPLE: enable patients to return home as quickly as possible after a hospital stay to wait for placement and avoid unnecessary readmissions. Launched by Alberta Health Services in 2012, the Destination Home initiative relies on the expertise of hospital social workers to achieve its goal.
Yet while Destination Home sounds straightforward on paper, reality is often far more complex. Each patient has a unique and constantly evolving set of needs and circumstances. Hospital social workers have a holistic view of a patient’s situation, and it’s up to them to address many of the items that might prevent a successful return home, or may cause someone to end up back in the hospital shortly after discharge. “Home is usually the best place for someone, but sometimes it’s not,” says Enid Martin, MSW, RSW. Martin is a social worker at the Didsbury Hospital. “My role is to work with the transitions team to make sure that if someone is in the hospital and they’re being discharged … they’re safe to go home and it’s a supportive environment.” Discharging patients, especially seniors, is a complex process that requires multidisciplinary collaboration among hospital staff. The Transition Services team leads the discharge planning process and liaises with Home Care services. A social worker helps to ensure that
necessary services and supports are in place before the patient returns home. Health care professionals, the Home Care team and the patient’s family and caregivers are also included in these preparations.
Discharging patients, especially seniors, is a complex process that requires multidisciplinary collaboration among hospital staff No matter where a patient is located, their financial situation is always a major consideration in their care. Hospital social workers are invaluable in ensuring that each patient is fully accessing the government programs and benefits available to them. This becomes even more critical if the patient needs to move from their home to an assisted living facility, which can
be quite expensive. Cindy Haugen, BSW, RSW, a hospitalbased social worker at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, notes that when Destination Home first launched, there were some gaps in supporting patients with their finances. “What they were initially finding with Destination Home is when you’re discharging patients from hospital, all of a sudden there was no one to do that financial piece in the community, so nurses were trying to do it,” she says. “This created some difficulty, and the hospitals advocated for more social workers in home care to help with that.” Martin agrees that finance is a main area in which she and other hospital social workers provide support. “A number of people who are in the hospital say, ‘I can’t afford to go into placement or I can’t afford to go into a lodge because I’m only getting 800 or 1000 dollars a month,’” she says. “I developed lots of contacts and different resources so that I can just pick up the phone if someone needs help quickly, and I can usually put a THE ADVOCATE
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plan together. I’ve prided myself on being able to do that.” In addition to finances, hospital social workers have to ensure other patient needs will be met when they go home, such as medical alert systems, services like Meals on Wheels and mental health supports. Occupational and physical therapists assist in addressing patient equipment needs at home, including safety rails, commodes and walkers. How these needs are addressed often depends on where a patient lives. Transportation is a major factor in rural settings, since bus and taxi service is often absent or very limited. Rural areas can also lack other big-city resources like adequate housing for seniors or mental health and other specialized health care services. Social workers in these communities provide a bridge between patients and the services that are available. They also advocate on behalf of their clients for increased resources in their communities. Martin recalls the relief expressed by her fellow staff at the Didsbury Hospital when she started in 2008. “The doctor said, ‘Oh thank goodness, we have a social worker,’” she recalls. “I didn’t really know what kind of work I was going to be doing, but I knew that for someone in the hospital, it’s not just about the illness; it’s about their psycho-social-spiritual wellbeing. Knowing that, I was able to develop the skills I needed. “I’ve had to be very creative and very resourceful, and cultivate contacts,” she continues. “So if I don’t know about something, I know who to call.” Urban settings have more services and resources available, but the demand for 24
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Mackenzie Broomfield
Cindy Haugen
heavily on the end goal of discharging patients home, Destination Home presents the potential to overlook a patient’s own wishes. “It felt like parts of the team weren’t listening to the social work concerns and the patient concerns,” Haugen says. “It felt like our values were being lost and patients weren’t being heard. So that was a difficult process.” To address this, advocacy became a critical part of Haugen’s role. “It was very much trying to empower the patient or the family to share their needs if they felt that going home wasn’t where they wanted to go,” she says. Other times, knowing that patients and families were under too much stress to consider radical changes to their home situation in order to facilitate a discharge, she has had to advocate on behalf of her clients.
Enid Martin
them is higher. This can lead to added pressure in having patients discharged quickly, which means hospital social workers need to be especially vigilant in ensuring that patient needs are being met. When Destination Home first started, some social workers felt that at times the initiative overlooked some of the core values of social work, especially the first: Respect for Inherent Dignity and Worth of Persons. Under this value, social workers must uphold each person’s right to selfdetermination, consistent with that person’s capacity and with the rights of others, and respect the client’s right to make choices based on voluntary, informed consent. By focusing too
“Sometimes as social workers we need to say, ‘This family is under a lot of stress; this family cannot afford private home care services or rental costs of the equipment needed to make the discharge safe; we’re just simply not going to put that extra pressure on them,’” she says. “It’s not a popular role within the team when you put your foot down like that.” Destination Home has evolved over the past six years and Haugen has noted a definite improvement in the way that the hospital team works under the initiative. “People have softened the corners a bit and it has been more successful,” she says. “I think patients and families are being heard more.” Hospital social workers have been crucial in the evolution of the initiative, though sometimes it can
feel like they don’t work directly with Destination Home itself. After all, their role has always been to ensure their client needs are being met, in whatever form that takes. This has been Martin’s experience, though her colleagues emphasize how critical her role is to the success of Destination Home.
that level of services at home, because
Mackenzie Broomfield, BSW, RSW, is the Integrated Home Care Social Worker for Rural East, an area that includes Didsbury. She took the role at the beginning of 2018 and works with patients after they’ve been discharged from the hospital. She ensures that their Home Care services and supports are in place and troubleshoots any gaps if a patient’s needs have changed.
Martin has had a similar experience.
“Enid’s involved while they’re still in the hospital and she’s doing such a great job that I’m rarely in an emergency trying to get things set up for somebody once they are at home,” Broomfield says. “There has been more than one occasion where Enid and I consult with one another because she knows there’s someone who’s about to be discharged into the community and there are still things that need to be done to get into place. She’s done 95 percent of it, but there’s one little piece that still needs to come together.”
independently much longer. But if
Not only do hospital social workers set up patients with necessary supports and services at home, often they have to help people realize that they need these things in the first place. This is no easy task, especially when working with people who have been independent up until that point. “For patients that emotionally don’t want to go to long-term care, [Destination Home] gives them more time at home and in their community before they move,” Haugen says. “It’s not sustainable to continue to provide
patients do deteriorate and get sicker, but it gives them that time to begin adjusting to the thought of moving, because it is a grieving process: patients are grieving the loss of their independence and the loss of their home and all of those things.” “Nobody wants to live in the hospital,” she says. “Certainly lots of our folks go home…. Part of my job is convincing them that it’s OK if they get help; it’s OK to have Home Care coming in; it’s OK to have a Meals on Wheels program. A big selling point that I discuss with clients is that by accepting these supports, they will be able to live they don’t have these supports in place, that’s when things can go sideways and their wellness will take a dive.” Social workers are an invaluable part
ADVOCACY IN ACTION When a patient’s best interests are being challenged, it is important for social workers to facilitate conversations between the patient, family, and the Unit Manager to address their concerns. The Ethics Department at Alberta Health Services can also be consulted to make recommendations. If there is still no resolution, the patient and/ or family may be referred to Patient Relations, or the Seniors or Health Advocate’s office. AHS social workers may also receive guidance from their managers and professional practice leads on how best to proceed. Clinical Ethics Consultation Request
and Destination Home can present
Any party may request a clinical ethicist to explore the issue of concern and make recommendations to the treatment team in order to facilitate best resolution.
numerous challenges. This makes the
Email: clinicalethics@ahs.ca
role of the social worker even more
Telephone: 1-855-943-2821
of a patient’s journey from hospital to home. These transitions can be difficult for patients and their caregivers,
critical in successful patient outcomes. By working to uphold the core values of social work under the Destination Home initiative, social workers ensure their clients’ voices are heard and their
AHS Patient Relations Department Telephone: 1-855-550-2555
rights are upheld throughout their
Alberta Health Advocate:
health care journey.
Toll Free: 310-0000, then 780-422-1812 Edmonton: 780-422-1812 Alberta Seniors Advocate:
MEL PRIESTLEY is an Edmonton-based freelance journalist who writes about local news and culture as well as food and wine. She’s a member of the Edmonton Food Council, an avid gardener and an amateur beekeeper.
Toll Free: 1-844-644-0682 Edmonton: 780-644-0682
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FEATURE STORY
Healthy Aging Social Work in Primary Care – An Emerging Field BY BRITTANY FAUX, BSW, RSW, MSC
He went on to obtain a social work diploma from Grant MacEwan, and a Masters of Social Work from the University of Toronto, with a focus on aging and the life course. He did his thesis on the underreporting of elder abuse in the community. From there, he worked in long term and acute care, before starting with the Edmonton Southside PCN in 2007. At the time, the role was newly developed, and called a “Geriatric Mental Health Coordinator.” He discussed how this role has evolved. “As I was seeing patients, one of the questions I always asked was, ‘Do you have personal directive and power of attorney?’ The answer 80 to 90 percent of the time was ‘No.’ So then I started asking, ‘Why?’ and the answers were always pretty much the same; ‘I don’t know why I need it,’ ‘I can’t afford to pay for a lawyer to do it,’ or ‘I know I can do it myself but I’m afraid I might mess something up.’”
LIKE THE REST OF CANADA, Alberta’s population is aging. It is projected that by 2046, one in five Albertans will be over 65¹. Many care facilities standardly employ social workers to help coordinate the unique set of financial, legal and social needs this cohort can require. As Alberta gets older, it is important that our primary care health system also recognizes the need for gerontological social workers on a broader, community-based level. The Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network (PCN) has developed a Healthy Aging Social Worker position. These registered social workers help 26
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navigate the health care system for older adults and provide practical support along the way. Brendan Klug, MSW, RSW, has worked in this role for 11 years, and believes it is an important speciality for social workers to consider. Brendan explained how, while working on his Bachelor of Arts degree, he developed an interest in gerontological social work. “I took a sociology course on aging, and one of the sections in that course was on elder abuse, which kind of lit my helping nature on fire, and I wanted to do something in that area.”
Although the Office of the Public Guardian had released a free personal directive template, Brendan noticed that many seniors still did not complete the form, even when encouraged to do so by their health care team. “I saw a need for assistance with filling these out, so people felt comfortable and happy about having done it. When I started doing the personal directives, it became apparent very quickly that if people need a personal directive at some point in their life, they are probably going to need an enduring power of attorney as well. They are both health care documents.” Unable to find a similar free template, he drafted his own, based on Alberta legislation. He confirmed with lawyers and the Public Trustee office that this document met
the necessary legal requirements. He now completes both the personal directive and enduring power of attorney forms with patients through individual and group sessions. He explained how this preventative service has helped the families he serves.
not be permitted in all settings. Social
and have enough food not to starve
workers should consult with their
is not much of a quality of life for
organizational management and
anyone of any age, but a lot of people
legal team if providing this support is
live like that.”
“It saves the family all kinds of extra hassle and heartache, because without these documents, the family would have to do a court application for guardianship and trusteeship to be awarded decision-making authority. That process is complicated and expensive and can be very long.”
gerontological social worker resource
Brendan has seen these families’ experiences first hand. In his role as a Designated Capacity Assessor, he regularly completes the assessment for adults that require court-assigned decision-makers. He described how this training, offered by the Office of the Public Guardian, has helped increase his confidence when completing the directives. “If I am asked to see a patient whose cognition is questionable, I have been trained to understand what capacity really is, and I can go in and ensure that there is at least a basic understanding of the nature and effect of the legal documents.” Brendan credits the innovative spirit at the Edmonton Southside PCN for supporting this program. “I love that I was able to develop this unique service and was given the freedom to do it. I love helping people. To be able to provide this service to people who otherwise would not get it done…feels very rewarding to me.” While helping with advanced care planning has been a successful social worker-led initiative at the Edmonton Southside PCN, this may
appropriate for their population and scope of practice. Brendan also serves as a to 300 physicians across 97 clinics. Doctors and interdisciplinary team members regularly consult him for social work advice for senior patients. Clinicians can also refer their patients to Brendan for individual appointments, which can occur at the
“They will tell me they are not filling their medications, or they are not eating so they can afford their medications, or they are racking up credit card debt to pay for their medications and food and rent. Without a healthy aging social worker or someone similar telling them about the [financial programs], many of these people would continue on not collecting the benefits they are entitled to.” Brendan hopes that his specialized
While helping with advanced care planning has been a successful social worker-led initiative at the Edmonton Southside PCN, this may not be permitted in all settings central office, their physician’s clinic, or the patient’s home. Referrals are often related to assessments around
role will expand across other primary care networks in Alberta. As our population ages, the proactive and practical supports provided by community-based gerontological social workers should be considered important components of preventative health care. ¹Population Projection: Alberta and Census Divisions, 2018–2046. (2018, July). Office of Statistics and Information – Demography. Retrieved from https:// open.alberta.ca/dataset/90a09f08c52c-43bd-b48a-fda5187273b9/
housing, elder abuse, and cognition.
resource/1748a22b-c37e-4c53-8bb5-
Finances are a common concern, and
eb77222c68d8/download/2018-2046-
Brendan has seen seniors making
alberta-population-projections.pdf
sacrifices to their health and wellbeing, trying to make ends meet. He explained how the financial needs seniors in Alberta face often directly impact their health. “If people aren’t getting enough money to pay for their care, their health will deteriorate further. Just being able to barely pay your rent
BRITTANY FAUX is a Registered Social Worker and Clinical Improvement Facilitator at the Edmonton Southside PCN. She enjoys playing hockey and gardening at her home in Antler Lake, AB. THE ADVOCATE
27
DAY IN THE LIFE
A TRAY OF SOFT SAND rests on a grey rug, within arm’s reach of a bookcase lined with toys and figurines centred on a cheerful yellow wall. Still more toys, art supplies, and imagination tools adorn the room. It is a playroom with a special purpose: a place where children dealing with developmental conditions or past trauma come to heal and develop the emotional and behavioural skills they need for the future. Play may not be the first thing we associate with troubled children. But for Registered Clinical Social Worker and Certified Play Therapist (CPT) Danielle Olivieri, it serves as a tool for evaluating kids who struggle and for prompting them to progress. “You’ll see where a child is developmentally through their play,” she explains. “Then you can decide what [type of play therapy] will work best for this child.” Olivieri currently divides her time between one-on-one therapy sessions with children and families; teaching at the Lethbridge College; providing behavioural consulting and counselling support at two elementary schools on the nearby Kainai (“Blood”) First Nation; and supervising other students and therapists, including those pursuing play therapy certification.
BY ANDREA ANDERSON
DANIELLE OLIVIERI
MSW, RCSW, CPT
Key Connections Consulting
For roughly three days a week, Olivieri works with clients of Key Connections Consulting, a Lethbridge company that began as a place to support children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental conditions. The firm has since expanded to work with all manner of children and families facing challenges. She has been there for six years, focusing on play therapy, particularly sand tray therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. “Sometimes it’s one-on-one counselling with the little person, and then we bring in the parent and do some family therapy work or intensive work on meeting the needs of the child,” she explains. Those sessions sometimes occur at Olivieri’s office or play therapy room, though she also takes her play therapy “toolkit” on the road to meet children and families in their homes. This can be in collaboration with other members of the Key Connections Consulting team which includes speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, in-home aides, psychologists, counsellors, and other social workers. About one day a week, Olivieri finds herself at the Kainai
28
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Nation, where she does behavioural consulting and emotional counselling at two elementary schools, often working with teachers to come up with personalized strategies for children who are struggling with trauma, grief and other challenges. During the rest of the work week — which often stretches beyond typical business hours and into the evenings — Olivieri has started seeing a few clients in her own private practice. She recently taught two psychology courses at Lethbridge College, where she accepted a casual position for the Fall 2018 semester, and occasionally develops workshops on everything from positive behaviour support tools to mindful parenting. Olivieri holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Lethbridge (where she transferred after two years at Medicine Hat College) and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Calgary’s Lethbridge campus. After 10 years working as a Family School Liaison counsellor, Olivieri hit the books again, earning a two-year Master of Social Work degree from the University of Calgary (again through the University of Lethbridge satellite program). To become fully certified in clinical social work and play therapy, she teamed up with experts to do 150 hours of supervised work in each specialization. Together, these experiences gave Olivieri a chance to get a deeper understanding of play-based therapy — an approach, she says, that is far more apt to reach young children than traditional therapy methods developed for adults.
During her initial stint in schools, she recalls, “I learned really quickly that children needed something different than sitting down and talking.” And through play therapy, Olivieri says, she has seen kids undergo significant transformations when offered opportunities to express themselves and their emotions in creative ways. The approach has its roots in Jungian psychology and psychoanalysis, she notes, and provides opportunities for children with early traumatic events or other adverse experiences to return to a difficult period in their lives and move past it through play. “We look at early childhood development as play therapists and look at what stages of development have
I learned really quickly that children needed something different than sitting down and talking been impacted and what is missing,” Olivieri explains. “They’ll go to that stage of development that was impacted. So I see a lot of kids wanting to do really messy stuff.” “When you give them that opportunity, you see them grow and move into the next stage of development,” she continues. “They keep moving through those stages and you see them really start to flourish and grow.” Despite her own full and varied work schedule, Olivieri makes an effort to “practice what I preach with my clients,” using daily meditation, mind-
fulness, dot mandala painting, gardening, and hiking to stay grounded and connected—not only with the kids she works with professionally, but also her own two children. Olivieri also belongs to a local belly dancing troupe, largely comprised of women from other helping professions. While much of her professional development time goes into specialized child and family-focused training, Olivieri points to Alberta College of Social Work workshops and conferences as well as university networking as just some of the ways she stays connected with a broader social work community. Still an avid learner, Olivieri is working towards gaining approved provider status with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, which governs related funding allocations for Indigenous communities. She has not ruled out the possibility of expanding her own private practice in the future, particularly if opportunities arise to do play therapy in a homey setting where kids can be as loud, rambunctious, and expressive as they’d like during the sessions. “The learning doesn’t end. There’s so much more that I want to specialize in so that children and families are getting really good services,” Olivieri says. “I’ve got a vision and I’m excited about the future, because I think I’m at a place in my life where I feel confident to take it to the next step.”
ANDREA ANDERSON is a full-time science and health journalist based in Edmonton. She’s a big fan of books, non-fiction storytelling, and outdoor adventures.
THE ADVOCATE
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All CTRI Workshops are approved by
ASWB
CATEGORY A COMPETENCY CREDIT
PUBLIC WORKSHOPS COMING TO ALBERTA SPRING-SUMMER 2019 NATIONAL EVENTS
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE—Guiding Principles for Schools and Communities Edmonton: March 18; Calgary: March 19
TRAIN-THE-TRAINER Certification Workshop for
COUNSELLING INSIGHTS CONFERENCE 2019
De-escalating Potentially Violent Situations™
Edmonton: March 19-21
DE-ESCALATING POTENTIALLY VIOLENT SITUATIONS™
Calgary, AB: March 13-15
Edmonton: March 19; Calgary: March 20
TRAUMA—Strategies for Resolving the Impact of Post-Traumatic Stress Calgary: April 9-10; Edmonton: April 11-12
ATTACHMENT AND FAMILIES—Strategies for Engaging and Helping Edmonton: April 24-25; Calgary: April 25-26
BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER—Understanding and Supporting Edmonton: May 7; Calgary: May 8
To order a book, and for conference details, please visit our website.
MINDFULNESS RETREAT
For Counsellors, Therapists, and Caregivers
Canmore, AB: July 29-31
TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE—Building a Culture of Strength Calgary: May 28; Edmonton: May 30
For details and registration, please visit our website.
WALKING THROUGH GRIEF—Helping Others Deal with Loss Edmonton: June 4-5; Calgary: June 5-6
CLINICAL SUPERVISION—Skills for Developing Counsellors Edmonton: June 18; Calgary: June 20
BRIEF FOCUSED COUNSELLING SKILLS—Strategies from Leading Frameworks Edmonton: July 16-17
877.353.3205
www.ctrinstitute.com
Many of our workshops are now live-streamed or available on-demand! Visit our website for details!
info@ctrinstitute.com
THE ADVOCATE EDITORIAL POLICY The Advocate is the official publication of the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) and is published quarterly for members of ACSW and other interested parties. The Advocate Editorial Board encourages submissions from all social work practice areas and perspectives, including: social work research, theory, practice, and education; professional affairs; social issues; the work of the College; member activities; continuing education and job opportunities; reviews of books, journals, and other media of interest to social workers. Articles of up to 1000 words and letters of up to 500 words will be considered, but publication is not guaranteed. Writing from social workers who are ACSW members will be given preference. Copy may be edited to fit the space available or for legal or other reasons. Please contact the ACSW office for full submission guidelines. PUBLICATION SCHEDULE AND DEADLINES Spring issue: Summer issue: Fall issue: Winter issue:
January 1 deadline for general submissions (articles, letters, etc.) April 1 for general submissions July 1 for general submissions September 1 for general submissions
January 15 for advertising April 15 for advertising July 15 for advertising September 15 for advertising
ALL SUBMISSIONS The Advocate, ACSW, 550 10707 100 Avenue NW, Edmonton AB T5J 3M1 ATTN: Charity Lui: charity@acsw.ab.ca • PHONE: 780-421-1167 • TOLL-FREE: 1-800-661-3089 • FAX: 780-421-1168 30
SPRING 2019
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
The Advocate’s For Your Information section gives preference to Alberta-based educational opportunities and non-profit events for social workers. Send your submissions to Charity Lui at charity@acsw.ab.ca. ACSW Annual Conference
2019 Children’s Mental Health Conference
Connection to Change: Evolution, Innovation and Activism in Social Work
April 26 – 28, 2019
April 4 – 6, 2019
Come together to learn about the latest research, innovations, and techniques pertaining to children’s mental health and attachment-based parenting practices.
BMO Centre on Stampede Park - Calgary Keynote Speakers – Dr. Jackie Sieppert and Dr. Lena Dominelli Online Conference Registration Deadline – March 15, 2018 Register at www.acsw.ab.ca under Social Workers – Annual Conference
Edmonton
https://instituteofchildpsychology. com/product/annual-conference2019/#configuration Public Interest Alberta’s 13th Annual Advocacy Conference
Central Alberta Social Work Conference
Our Public Services: Protecting and Revitalizing in Uncertain Times
Red Deer Speakers at this conference include Kenneth Doucet, Rachel Clare, and the Red Deer PACT Team. For more details, contact centralabsocialworkconference@gmail.com. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/centralalberta-social-work-conferencetickets-53628032890 Connections Conference 2019 - Adaptive April 10, 2019 Calgary The 2019 Conference speakers will share insights for attendees and empower nonprofits to respond to changes in the economy, technology and society, and be proactive in leading and learning from change. https://www.calgarycvo.org/connectionsconference-2019/
Creating Space for Indigenous Education: Thinking, Speaking & Living Indigenous March 20-22, 2019 Enoch Cree Nation (Edmonton) Through the beauty of education, we hope to inspire educators to incorporate Indigenous Knowledge into the everyday practices of teaching. http://www.thinkindigenous.ca/
Registration also available at the conference.
May 23 – 24, 2019
Think Indigenous International Education Conference 2019
April 4 – 5, 2019 Edmonton (April 3 in Calgary) This conference is an essential opportunity to work with other individuals and organizations in developing public solutions that strengthen our communities and provide us with the tools to mobilize us into action to build a better Alberta for all. https://www.pialberta.org/conferences 7th Annual National Indigenous Physical Activity & Wellness Conference May 4 – 5, 2019 Maskwacis Indigenous Physical Activity & Cultural Circle would like to invite you to join us in sharing best practices, and to join other leaders who see the value in promoting physical activity & wellness in our Indigenous communities. http://www.a-pacc.com/conferenceannouncement-2019
Visit the ACSW Events Calendar to find more training, events and workshops, at acsw.com, Social Workers tab, Calendar of Events.
ADVOCATE DEADLINES
SUBMISSION DEADLINE For the Summer 2019 issue of the Advocate is April 1, 2019 All editorial inquiries to Charity Lui Charity@acsw.ab.ca
AD DEADLINE For the Summer 2019 issue of the Advocate is April 15, 2019 All ad inquiries to activitiesadmin@acsw.ab.ca
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31
PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050109 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS 550 10707 100 AVE NW EDMONTON AB T5J 3M1
CELEBRATE SOCIAL WORK WEEK MARCH 3–9, 2019
Social workers make a real difference in the lives of people, families and communities across the country. Every year in March, Canada celebrates the important contributions of these social justice professionals.
Real people. Real impact. Get involved in National Social Work Month casw-acts.ca/en/March2019 #NationalSocialWorkMonth
SOCIAL WORK WEEK MARCH 3-9, 2019