Class Notes

Dr. Lisa Young Larance's book, Broken: Women's Stories of Intimate and Institutional Harm and Repair, will be available August 6, 2024.
https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520392335/broken

Lindsay Bryan-Podvin shared expert insights on the emotional toll of financial scams in a recent appearance on CNN Central News with Brianna Keilar & Boris Sanchez. She highlighted the misconception that only seniors fall prey to scams and emphasized that anyone can be vulnerable. The discussion centered on a viral story where a personal finance journalist was scammed out of a large sum of money, illustrating how scammers exploit personal information to induce fear and dysregulate the victims' nervous system. Bryan-Podvin stressed the importance of empathy and compassion in combating financial exploitation.

On March 13, 2024 I was recognized for my policy work with the 2024 Outstanding Individual in Academia Award from the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy (CRISP).

After 11 years of federal service to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Bryan has accepted a new role with the US Department of Health and Human Services providing federal oversight of State and community based programs.

In March, I am releasing a novel, Supplemental Needs, about a family coping with a prenatal diagnosis of Klinefelter syndrome, a disorder of sexual development resulting from an extra X chromosome in a male. Popular literature has not addressed the dilemma of prenatal diagnosis of developmental disabilities and rarely atypical development in a child. Previously, I published the widely read guide, Living with Klinefelter Syndrome, Trisomy X and 47,XYY. I used my experience as a social worker devoted to improving life for those with developmental disabilities and as my personal experiences as a special needs parent to write both For more information on both publications, please visit www.virginiacover.com.

I was selected as a 2024 Presidential Leadership Scholar. More info can be found here: https://www.presidentialleadershipscholars.org/2024-class-of-presidential-leadership-scholars-announced/

Lauren Davis was featured in the Michigan Daily, profiling her journey to pursuing diversity, equity, and inclusion work at the University of Michigan.

https://www.michigandaily.com/news/administration/my-success-was-finding-people-meet-the-seas-director-of-diversity-equity-and-community-lauren-davis/

SWWLHC Award for Social Work Leadership in Clinical Practice has been awarded to John Paul Tuanqui Abenojar, Social Services Manager at Arleigh Burke Pavilion - Vinson Hall Retirement Community. He has consistently exemplified the qualities that made Ida Cannon, an iconic figure in health social work leadership. His career dedicated to improving the lives of older adults in long term care settings has called attention to the critical importance of psychosocial care, for both the patient and family.

I am humbled to be selected as an honoree for the de Beaumont Foundation’s 40 Under 40 in Public Health Class of 2023. This is an accomplished group of professionals striving to bring healthier solutions to communities across the nation. https://debeaumont.org/40-under-40/sade-richardson/

Sara Thane Milam, LCSW opened her private therapy practice Steadfast Living Therapy, LLC in July 2023. Her practice provides individualized and actionable mental health therapy for adults in Nashville, TN. Sara is an EMDR Certified Therapist and specializes in trauma and grief therapy. Visit her website at https://www.steadfastlivingtherapy.com/ to learn more.

Mike assumed the President/CEO position at Pasco Kids First in February of 2023. Pasco Kids First is a Child Advocacy Center working to prevent child abuse and neglect, providing medical assessment and forensic interviews when abuse occurs as well as therapy and healing services for survivors. Visit www.pascokidsfirst.org for more information.

I have been awarded the 2023 Joseph Gittler Award by the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP). The award is in recognition of a SSSP member for their significant scholarly achievements on the ethical resolution of social problems.

GO BLUE!

Hi. I was just appointed to the Editorial Board of PLOS ONE, a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal.

GO BLUE

Meggie Royer, MSW class of 2022, won third place for her poem "Impostor Syndrome" in the 2023 University of Iowa School of Social Work Annual National Poetry Contest for Social Workers.

https://www.socialworker.com/extras/creative-work/university-of-iowa-school-of-social-work-annual-national-poetry-contest-2023-winning-poems/

My most recent publication in the peer-reviewed jounal, Home Health Care Management and Practice, is about a new version of a nationally-mandated assessment tool used in all Medicare-certified home health agencies. I interviewed a convenience sample of 36 home care social workers from 5 different home health agencies in the New York City metropolitan area between August 1, 2022, and November 30, 2022 about their views on the new required assessment. Four themes emerged from the study, namely that social workers believe the OASIS-E revisions: are an improvement over prior OASIS versions; are cumbersome and do not require administration by a social worker; do not impose specific guidance requirements on using new measures scoring results in making care decisions; and do not address coverage of specific interventions that address patients with significant mental health issues.

Ngozi Eke, MSW 2015, received board certification in Clinical Social Work from the American Board of Clinical Social Work and also published a children’s book titled: The Adventures of Ikemba: Ikemba’s Secret. Additionally, Ngozi received supervisor designation (Social Work) for both Michigan and Texas and also received
Childcare Director certification and is working on her PhD. Ngozi really appreciated all of the support and education she received at the the University of Michigan School of Social Work.

Last year I completed and published my first children's book, The Elephant on Aaron's Chest. It's the story of a boy who is struggling with the weight of his emotions. His emotions take on the form of a cumbersome elephant. With little success, Aaron tries to get the elephant to leave. When Aaron decides to befriend the elephant, things start to change for the better.
Over the past year, I've been reading my book to elementary school students throughout California and Michigan.

Morrie O'Neil is a Senior Technical Writer for the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington, DC. He lives in Arlington, VA.