Mental Health Stigma and Delonte West, 2009 NASW IL Legislative Agenda
from NASW IL
Its been almost nine years since the groundbreaking U.S. Surgeons General Report on Mental Health was issued. The report addressed the full gamet of mental health issues facing the country. This all came to mind recently as the NBA Basketball season officially began tonight. Delonte West, an emerging star with the Cleveland Cavaliers, recently admitted to seeking help for depression and "a mood disorder," that apparently he has been dealing with his entire life. More

DeYoung Works to Get Her Views Heard
from The Commercial-News
Lori DeYoung of Fithian, Ill., is the Democrat candidate for Illinois state representative in the 104th district. She is running against Danville, Ill., incumbent William Black. DeYoung, who received her PhD in social work from the University of Illinois, is the founder and executive director of the non–profit Family Education and Support Services agency. More

Guatemala Seeks Domestic Fix to Troubled Overseas Adoptions
from The Chicago Tribune
After essentially closing off the pipeline that sent nearly 5,000 children for adoptions in the U.S. last year, Guatemala has launched an ambitious campaign to recruit foster parents and even adoptive parents at home. The government sends social workers for routine visits that help ease the introductions, and eventual farewells, between foster parents and children. More

Social Security Speeds Benefits Review for Those with Some Cancers and Severe Conditions
from The Associated Press via The Chicago Tribune
People with cancers and other severe medical conditions will get quicker action on disability claims under a new Social Security program. The time needed to decide claims could trim from 100 days or more to as few as two, said Michael J. Astrue, who heads the Social Security Administration. The Compassionate Allowances initiative will apply to 25 rare diseases and 25 cancers, and may be expanded later, the agency said. More

Hunter College School of Social Work to Move to East Harlem
from The New York Times
With the help of the largest gift ever to the City University of New York, the Hunter College School of Social Work is moving uptown. The graduate school, with 930 students, has occupied the building at 129 East 79th Street since 1969. More

USC to Train Social Workers to Deal with Military Families
from The Los Angeles Times
At the San Diego Armed Services YMCA, social workers who counsel military families can barely keep up with the requests that come pouring in. About two years ago, each social worker dealt with about 16 cases at any given time, said Amanda Cross, senior program director of family outreach. Now, each of the five social workers carries a caseload of 23. More

Physicians Discuss Ethnic Minority Health Disparities at Conference
from Medical News Today
More than 100 ethnic physicians and physicians who work with minority populations in attendance, at the 2008 Ethnic Physicians Leadership Summit held in Anaheim, Calif., were urged to be creative in making sure their patients have access to care during this turbulent economy. Albert Arteaga, who founded a chain of clinics in Southern California, added: "I want all of my patients to feel that going to the doctor is no more intimidating than going to the grocery store."More

Post-traumatic Stress is a War within the Body, for the Military and for Civilians
from USA Today
Post-traumatic stress disorder, once a poorly understood and little-known mental health problem, is turning up on the public's radar a lot more as growing numbers of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans seek treatment for the illness. More

Upcoming Events Addiction: The disease that tells me I don’t have a disease 10/29/08 More info Anger Management: Tips and Tricks 11/5/08 More info NASW IL Open House 11/6/08 More info