From the Director

Dear MFP Community,

We are accepting applications for new doctoral fellows for the 2020–2021 fellowship year. Please share this information with interested parties in your networks!
 
In commemoration of Black History Month, I interviewed Dr. Jenny Jones, dean and professor at the Clark Atlanta University School of Social Work. Dr. Jones has been an integral part of the CSWE MFP for many years, from her time as a doctoral fellow to her stewardship of the MFP as our director, along with her leadership in social work as a faculty member and administrator. I wanted to share her thoughts on the meaning of Black History Month for the MFP. You can see her thoughts by clicking through to the newsletter!
 
I plan to interview other alumni for future issues, so please e-mail me if you’re interested!

In Fellowship,

Duy Nguyen, PhD
MFP Director
 

MFP Spotlight

Dr. Jenny Jones on the MFP and Black History Month

"Carl A. Scott, the founder of the MFP,  had a vision and was committed to bringing African Americans to the table to get PhDs. When I just think about that vision, I sometimes get overwhelmed with the thought of it because I can only imagine the work that Carl Scott put into this; just the idea of wanting to make it happen.

The MFP has graduated hundreds of African Americans. Some have gone into higher education. Some have moved on to do research. Some are doing community work. Some moved into the political arena. I mean, there's just a multifaceted group of African Americans with PhDs in social work that have come through the MFP, and that's all because of the vision of this one man who made it happen.

The significance of Black History Month and the CSWE MFP go hand-in-hand. I think we can't separate them, because of the love and labor of Carl Scott, who was an African American committed to bringing African Americans to the table with PhDs and social work education."
 

This video features highlights from Dr. Jones' and Dr. Nguyen's conversation about social work education, Black History Month, and the MFP.
 

Crystal Hayes, MSW

The American Journal of Public Health has published current doctoral fellow and University of Connecticut PhD candidate Crystal M. Hayes' peer-reviewed co-authored article titled “Reproductive Justice Disrupted: Mass Incarceration as a Driver of Reproductive Oppression.” This article is influenced by her dissertation study that explores reproductive justice issues for incarcerated Black women and other women of color who were pregnant or gave birth during their incarceration. Ms. Hayes also contributes to Ms. Magazine on the subject of human rights and reproductive justice at the intersections of race and gender. Connect with Ms. Hayes to further the conversation on issues of human rights, reproductive justice, and the carceral state.

Julia Childs Hey

Current master’s fellow Julia Childs Heyl is an MSW student at California State University, Dominguez Hills. Mrs. Childs Heyl interns at Peace Over Violence—an organization dedicated to eliminating all forms of interpersonal violence in Los Angeles. After graduation she will focus her field of work on halting the transmission of generational trauma in the African American community. Connect with Julia on LinkedIn.



 

Angel Gray

Current master’s fellow Angel Gray is an MSW student at New York University. At ANDRUS, a nonprofit organization offering restorative services for children and their families in the New York metropolitan area, Ms. Gray provides care management to clients. She will focus her efforts on becoming a licensed clinical social worker and addressing the link between structural racism and mental health inequities among the African American community. Connect with Angel on LinkedIn.

 

Professional Development Opportunities

Apply for Social Work Doctoral Student Policy Forum by March 6
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), and Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE) are pleased to announce the inaugural Social Work Doctoral Student Policy Forum. This collaborative effort was designed to create a unique opportunity for doctoral students to connect social work research with policymaking in Washington, DC. Attendees will make a stronger link between their research and policy and advocate for the value and significance of investments in social work and social work research on Capitol Hill. Click here for more information on the application process.

2020–2021 Health and Aging Policy Fellowship
The Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program aims to create a cadre of leaders to serve as change agents in health and aging policy to ultimately improve the health care of older adults. Candidates with a strong commitment to health and aging issues, leadership potential, and interest in aging-relevant policy work are invited to join the next class of Health and Aging Policy Fellows (2020–2021). The application deadline is April 15, 2020. Click here to visit the program’s Web page for more information.

American Psychological Association’s Leadership and Education Advancement Program for Diverse Scholars
Leadership and Education Advancement Program for Diverse Scholars is a new and evidence-informed mentoring and leadership development program. It is intended for early career social and behavioral scientists from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations who show promise in research related to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases mission but who have not yet received R01 funding and have not held a leadership position in their respective disciplines or professional associations. The application deadline is Sunday, February 23, 2020; learn more about eligibility and program benefits here.
 

Conferences

CSWE Annual Program Meeting 2020 Call for Proposals Open
CSWE invites proposals for the 66th Annual Program Meeting (APM) in Denver, CO, November 12–15, 2020. The conference theme—Leading Critical Conversations: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion—reflects a renewed commitment to elevating and leading the effort to attain equity, access, and inclusion in higher education and social work programs in the context of the profession’s social justice mission. CSWE seeks proposals from multiple perspectives that raise critical questions about practices, policies, and structures that affect diversity, equity, and inclusion. The proposal deadline is Monday, February 24, 2020, at 11:59 pm (ET); submit your proposal here.
 
National Association of Black Social Workers’ 52nd Annual Conference
Registration is open for the National Association of Black Social Workers’ 52nd Annual Conference, April 14–18, 2020, at the Detroit Marriott–Renaissance Center. This year’s theme is “Ma'at: African-Centered Values as Practical Healing Tools.” Early Bird Discounted Registration ends February 21, 2020; learn more and register early here.
 
2020 Spring IPEC Institute
The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) will hold its next institute, titled “Building a Framework for IPE for Collaborative Practice,” May 19–21, 2020, at the AAMC Learning Center in Washington, DC. Participants will have the opportunity to acquire and use knowledge and skills to further advance their existing institutional interprofessional education and collaborative practice programs. Register here.
 

Resources

Diversity Center’s Educator|Resource of the Month
Visit CSWE’s Center for Diversity and Social & Economic Justice to view the February Educator|Resource of the Month. New thinking on achieving equity in higher education has evolved rapidly in the last few years. The Center’s educators have created a wealth of research-based strategies for social work educators for racial and ethnic equity-minded competence in higher education. Use the following resources applicable to faculty hiring, student success, and curriculum development:
 
What is equity-minded competence?
Why does diversity alone not guarantee equity?
How can I actively engage in equity-minded work?
Topical Reading List on Equity and Diversity in Higher Education
A case study in inequity: “Becoming Full Professor While Black”
 

CSWE Publications

Voting Is Social Work
The Journal of Social Work Education article, “Voting Is Social Work: Voices From the National Social Work Voter Mobilization Campaign” (Mimi Abramovitz, Margaret Sherraden, Kathryn Hill, Tanya Rhodes Smith, Beth Lewis, & Terry Mizrahi), is available for free download on the Taylor & Francis Online site until September 2020. Dr. Abramovitz was CSWE’s 2018 Significant Lifetime Achievement in Social Work Education Award winner, and Dr. Mizrahi was one of the 2019 Service and Leadership in Social Work Education Award winners.
 
Accepting Proposal Submissions for CSWE Press
CSWE Press is interested in works that address emerging issues and innovations as well as traditional concerns of the profession. If you would like to discuss your idea for a book or other resource with a member of the CSWE Council on Publications, please contact Publications Manager Elizabeth Simon. Promising proposal submissions will be reviewed by the council. 
 

Webinars

Promise of Adolescence: Realizing Opportunity for All Youths
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s webinar series examines the neurobiological and socio-behavioral science of adolescent development and discusses how these findings can be applied to four key sectors: health, education, justice, and child welfare.
 
Watch recording of “Opportunities for the Justice Sector” webinar.
Register for “Opportunities for the Child Welfare System” on Wednesday, February 26, 2020, 1:00–2:00 pm (ET). 
Register for “Opportunities for the Health Sector” on Thursday, March 26, 2020, 1:00–2:00 pm (EDT).
Registration coming soon for “Opportunities for the Education Sector” webinar in April/May 2020. 
 
Using SBIRT to Talk to Adolescents About Substance Use
This four-part webinar series introduces health professionals (including social workers) to the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) model to learn from adolescents about their substance use, talk about what might motivate them to decide to reduce or abstain, and execute a plan to do so. The webinar series is produced in partnership with the Adolescent SBIRT Project, NORC at the University of Chicago, the BIG Initiative, and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Click here to learn more.