SSWN

My second item of interest is a website called School Social Work Net or SSWN that provides support, resources, and a community for School Social Workers. This website includes current research, effective interventions, useful tools for direct practice, and podcasts that discuss important topics within the school environment. Additionally, this website provides an online tool that allows for School Social Workers to track both time and data to assist in making better practice decisions, advocating for workload and role within the school, and identify needs and trends for the social services department. Both access to the website and time tracking tool are free to those who are interested in accessing this item of interest. 

The way that I have been using SSWN at Evanston Township High school is by reading current research on interventions to ensure that I am using best practice with the students on my caseload. SSWN provides school social workers with evidence based research articles to ensure that direct practice interventions are meeting student needs. For example, my supervisor and I have been utilizing mindfulness research and tools provided on SSWN for the social skills group that we cofacilitate. These mindfulness tools will be useful for the students as they prepare and complete their final examinations for the semester. Additionally, I will be using the SSW tools app next semester to track sessions with students and create measurable data. Overall, I feel that SSWN is a point of reference and community that allows for school social workers to connect with the field and find resources that are specific to schools. 

School Social Work Net fits into providing evidence-based education, behavior, and services area of the school social work practice model. The School Social Work team is comprised of licensed practitioners with years of experience in the field as well as researchers that are providing current resources on evidence based practice. SSWN works to provide school social work and mental health professionals with current tools, interventions, and research that remain within a strengths based perspective and can  be used with diverse populations. Beyond interventions and tools for practice, SSWN provides a live stream of current news that is relevant to the field and might effect current policy implementation. By utilizing SSWN, school social workers can build upon their knowledge of evidence based interventions, stay current on research and best practices, and be part of a collaborative community of like-minded professionals.

Below is the link to the SSWN website. Once again, it is free to sign up with your email and full of useful information. I hope you find this tool useful and feel a sense of community amongst fellow school social workers!


https://schoolsocialwork.net/

Positive Behavioral Intervention Support (PBIS)

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support

This intervention was first created by a school social worker at a school in Michigan. The program offers tier I, II, and III supports for students in the classroom. It is used to help student who are suffering from anxiety, depression, constant criers, and among other distressful behaviors. If these interventions are not effective, the school social worker may switch to tier II supports. I feel this intervention is very helpful to students who are struggling with issues in the classroom. There are fees to use the intervention tool and I feel it is beneficial for the classroom.

http://www.pbisworld.com/

https://www.whyliveschool.com/?s=pbis

Therapist's Guide to Clinical Intervention: The 1-2-3 of Treatment Planning

The book, Therapist's Guide to Clinical Intervention: The 1-2-3 of Treatment Planning, has been one of the most useful books that I have used at my school internship.  This book includes a list of all DSM5 diagnosis and how to treat them based on how your client is showing certain criteria.  What’s great about this book is that it also has information on other issues outside of the DSM-5 such as Suicide, physical pain, social issues, bullying and much more.  The book also has some useful forms for all social workers.  These forms include confidentiality, suicide contracts and much more. 

Where this book is limited is that it is not specific to the school setting.  The book is more general and will give you information for all areas of social work. 

The book is compiled of best practices for each diagnosis or specific situation that a client is facing.  

All interventions in the book are evidence based.  One thing that is important with this book to know is that since it is evidence based and new research is always being conducted, it is best to buy the most current version.  

Bounce back
https://bouncebackprogram.org

Bounce Back is a school-based group intervention for elementary students who were exposed to stressful and traumatic events Designed to be administered by clinicians, Bounce Back is based on Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma inn Schools or CBITS. Bounce back trainings can be done completely online; the training offers multiple lectures that outline the curriculum in specific details. Once you complete all lessons you have access to all the material, resources, and activities all planned out and ready to use with students specifically in the school setting and dealing with trauma. This program is laid out in 10 sessions, which include individual, parent and group sessions. The purpose of Bounce Back is to teach students ways to cope with and recover from traumatic events, helping them go back to their routine of doing what they want and need to do. The Bounce Back program is appropriate for children and families of diverse ethnic and social backgrounds.  The training is intended to teach the adult the process of the program from the initial interview and screener, to the lessons and activities and eventually “graduating” from the program.  The program is free; however, it will take you a couple of hours to complete the whole training, and it can be done in more than one sitting. I encourage everyone to check it out and complete the training to help build your social work resources. 


https://bouncebackprogram.org

School Social Worker Priority Sheet

The item of interest that I chose was titled “Clinical School Social Work”.  Starting out at Hersey High School I was tossed right into the mix of things just as I was hoping.  What I quickly learned is that the role of a school social worker has many responsibilities and knowing how to prioritize can be difficult and drain on positive thoughts.  My supervisor created a priority sheet for me so I would know what takes precedence of others.  This was a mind saver for me and in a way, a form of self-care. 

School social workers are pulled in many directions and have a large number of responsibilities and tasks to complete in a short day.  This sheet helps me keep my day straight when things come up that are not planned.  Every school might have a different order that your supervisor wants you to follow but the top three things will be universal.  Crisis control always takes precedence over any other responsibility.  That does not mean that just because a student comes down to your office unexpectedly that you send your normal scheduled student back to class.  It means seeing what the crisis is and determining if it can wait.  Suicidal idealization is more important than a student who wants to talk about what his/her friend said to them.  The social worker still needs to use judgement while using this sheet.