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Bridging ACT into Social Work Bridging ACT into the Community. Julie Hamilton Kate Morrissey-Stahl Rikke Kjelgaard. INTRODUCTIONS…. Social Work. Australia and New Zealand. From where we left off last year….
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Bridging ACT into Social Work Bridging ACT into the Community Julie Hamilton Kate Morrissey-Stahl Rikke Kjelgaard
Social Work Australia and New Zealand
The number of social workers employed in the US is well over three times the number of psychologists Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2011). Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos060.htm.
Clinical social workers are by far the largest providers of mental health services in the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Institutes of Mental Health. (2010). Mental health, United States, 2008. Retrieved from http://store.samhsa.gov/product/Mental-Health-United-States-2008/SMA10-4590
Yet social workers are most likely underrepresented in ACBS 5517 ACBS members (as of July 18, 2012) 171 members listed “LCSW” under “licenses and certifications” when they registered (July 8, 2012) 50 registered ACT Social Work SIG members (July 8, 2012) 71 members of the ACT Social Work SIG Listserv (July 18, 2012)
Yet social workers are most likely underrepresented in ACBS 5517 ACBS members (as of July 18, 2012) 171 members listed “LCSW” under “licenses and certifications” when they registered (July 8, 2012) 50 registered ACT Social Work SIG members (July 8, 2012) 84 (April 2013) 71 members of the ACT Social Work SIG Listserv (July 18, 2012)
How have you integrated ACT and Contextual Behavioral Science (CBS) into your social work practice?
Brian Mundy - NYC Please share some examples of how you have been bridging ACT in your social work, and surrounding communities, i.e., trainings, research, outreach, etc.: • For the past 18 months I have been supporting all levels of staff at a large social service agency in NYC -- from security guards at homeless shelters, to clinicians to directors and food service employees at programs of all types -- on adopting trauma-informed care. One of the central themes to TIC is developing an awareness of how working in a trauma-impacted environment influences us as workers, particularly when we have our own histories of trauma.
Brian Mundy - NYC • ACT-related concepts of present-moment awareness, acceptance, and moving toward connectedness are extremely helpful in assisting folks with decreasing reactivity in this domain. I developed an acronym TREDS (Take a Breath, Relationship focus, Empathic reflection, Develop choice, Supportive follow-up) for workers of all stripes to utilize when faced with trauma-impacted behaviors. The stories that have echoed back from people using these concepts have been deeply powerful and moving, as well as effective.
Detroit, Michigan • Clinical Work • ACT Trainings, Webcasts • ED Programs • Hospitals • Universities • EMU, Western • Counseling Centers-UM, MSU, WMU, EMU • SW/Psych Curriculum • University of Detroit Mercy/School of Dentistry
Detroit, Michigan • NASW-Michigan • Annual Conference • “Bridge” Magazine
What is your impression of how the field of social work and the social workers you know have responded to ACT?
How well does ACT/CBS fit with the social work value and ethical principle of social justice? Value: Social Justice Ethical principle: Social workers challenge social injustice Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers' social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision-making for all people. NASW Code of Ethics, 1996
What are the barriers to the dissemination of ACT/CBS in the field of social work?
Detroit • Recession • Lack of intensive trainings • Lack of ACT supervision
How do we make ACT and functional contextualism a greater presence in the field of social work?
Brian Mundy • Keep contributing, keep talking about it on listservs and in our communities.
Detroit, Michigan • Keep up what we’re doing…. • Develop a Michigan Chapter
What are non-stigmatizing environments in which ACT protocols could beoffered, reaching out to populations who traditionally have not usedmental health services?
Brian Mundy • I think that utilizing ACT concepts in advocacy work would be amazing. Here in NYC I wonder what would happen if a community mediation center held ACT-consistent forums on racism and community relations?
Detroit • Community Groups • Community Action Groups • Homeless • Urban Poverty • Urban Youth • LGBT
How can the Social Work Field play a role in the Evolution Science Project?
"The psychological flexibility model described in the present volume is at its core a contextual approach to understanding clients interacting within and through their environmental and private contexts. This statement suggest that the six processes of the model should not be viewed in isolation, but rather are highly sensitive to the surrounding social, cultural, environmental, and biological environments.” Hayes, Wilson, Strosahl, 2011
What is social work? The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. NASW Code of Ethics, 1996
What is social work? A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession’s focus on individual well-being in a social context and the well-being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living. NASW Code of Ethics, 1996
EVO – Social Workers • SW Values • SW are already deeply integrated in communities in a variety of roles: • Advocacy • Social Action • Social Justice • Direct Support Services • Leadership
Social Work and EvoScience DETROIT