News Archive
Alumni
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According to the National Institutes of Health, rural Americans are more likely to die prematurely from heart disease, cancer, lung disease and stroke, and have higher rates of obesity and diabetes. They are also at greater risk for fatal car crashes, suicide and drug overdoses.
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During his first clinical rotation in the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Tyler Christy’s supervising physician was in the process of selling his practice. As the sole medical provider, he was overwhelmed and burned out. But this physician had not worked alongside a nurse practitioner before.
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For 15 years Lito De Luca was an accountant. Then he and his husband became the foster parents of two brothers, aged 4- and 18-months-old, and this event altered the trajectory of De Luca’s life — and career — forever.
“They became a part of our life and that started opening up inspiration,” De Luca said.” We helped other families too, nine or 10 kids in total, from little ones all the way up to teenagers.”
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Before he even walks the stage on May 12 to receive his Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) from the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Jonathan Spikes is already well underway on the pilot of his capstone project. Spikes launched the Affirming Youth Family Neighborhood School Partnership (AYFNSP) in January 2023 through a $1 million federal grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention at the U.S. Department of Justice.
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In Russellville, Arkansas, when the police respond to a domestic violence call during the week between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m., they now have Linda Bankston riding with them. As the new victim advocate, she starts every interaction with the individuals at the scene in the same way: “I’m Linda. I’m sorry that this happened. Do you need a hug?”
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Social work and police work have more overlap than is commonly thought. Approximately 80% of calls to police are social service related. Police are also frontline responders addressing situations involving people experiencing homelessness, substance use or youth-involved crime and often find themselves striving to deescalate a disturbance or connect people with social services.
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The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) honors members of the social work profession whose contributions have enriched and evolved the profession. The NASW Social Work Pioneers® program recognizes individuals whose unique dedication, commitment and determination have significantly improved social and human conditions.
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Early behavioral health intervention with youth in school settings could be key to addressing a myriad of physical and mental health issues throughout the lifespan. It is increasingly clear that social determinants of health (SDOH) are indicated in up to 50% of adult health conditions, and the impact of adverse childhood experie
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There are an estimated 27.6 million victims of human trafficking worldwide at any given time, including in the United States. In order to stop it, its true nature needs to be understood. The main indicator of a youth at risk for human trafficking is a prior history of trauma — usually sexual abuse or being raised in a home without a real and unconditional demonstration of love.
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At 19, Charles Stafford, MSW ’17, was suicidal. Suffering from severe depression, it was a relief for him to think about life being over.
Born and raised in Marblemount, Washington, a small town of 250 people on the Skagit River, his father was a logger and most people in town worked at the local mill. As a child, he was surrounded by drug and alcohol use within his family and in the community. “By the time I was 12 I didn’t want to be in my own skin,” Stafford said. “Drugs and alcohol felt great.”