News Archive
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Scientists, health care providers, public servants and community members must work together in order to save black babies, concluded a panel of USC experts who participated in a forum to discuss the persistently high rates of infant mortality, preterm delivery and low birth weight among African Americans.
"This is not a black problem," said Jack Turman, director of the USC Center for Premature Infant Health and Development. "We might be losing a person who can change the world. Everybody has that potential; everyone deserves an equal chance."
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The California Social Welfare Archives hosted its annual awards luncheon on Oct. 21 at USC's Davidson Conference Center to honor philanthropists Ann Thor and Frances Wu for their lifelong commitment to improving social services.
While presenting Thor with the George D. Nickel Award for Outstanding Volunteer Services, CSWA President Esther Gillies said Thor "exemplifies what it means to give up one's self in the service of others."
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The USC School of Social Work has created a specialization in military social work and veteran services to prepare social workers and other trained mental health professionals to help the nation's armed forces personnel, military veterans and their families manage the pressures of military life and post-war adjustments.
California Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard secured $3.3 million in congressionally directed funding for the program.
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Professor Iris Chi of the USC School of Social Work is the recipient of a USC Undergraduate Research Award and two faculty research grants from the USC U.S.-China Institute, totaling $26,500.
Chi, an expert in elderly health and gerontology, will use the $10,000 undergraduate research grant to mentor three students, who will assist her in researching the interaction between Chinese immigrant grandparents and their teenage grandchildren. Chi said many of the immigrant grandparents come at the request of their children, who need help taking care of their families.
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A group of USC School of Social Work students traveled to Israel this summer searching for inspiration on how to creatively resolve social conflicts from a country in constant pursuit of peaceful coexistence with its neighbors. Looking beyond the four walls of typical therapy sessions, they found new, nontraditional methods, including the use of community-based theatre and art therapy, to help individuals, groups and communities work through their problems.
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Frances Lomas Feldman, a pioneer in the field of social work and a USC faculty member for 36 years died Sept. 30, a week after suffering a stroke. She was 95.
Feldman's varied interests led not only to groundbreaking studies on the psychosocial effects of cancer but the creation of a nationwide organization to help families deal with money problems, as well as the establishment of a faculty and staff counseling center at USC, now a blueprint for employee assistance programs across the country.
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USC was honored this summer for its commitment to faculty and staff, demonstrated by professional workshops, individual counseling and consultation.
The California Psychological Association awarded USC its 2008 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award "for outstanding efforts to foster employee health and well-being while enhancing organizational performance."
"This recognition is affirmation of the outstanding work that we all do on a daily basis that makes USC a great place to work," said John Gaspari, executive director of the Center for Work and Family Life.
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Madeleine Stoner, an integral part of the USC School of Social Work for nearly 30 years and a tireless advocate for the homeless, died at home July 13. She was 70.
Stoner joined the USC School of Social Work in 1980 as assistant dean and in 1986 began teaching and researching full time.
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James Karls, who started the first mental health clinics in central California and created social work's first diagnostic system for evaluating social functioning problems, died on June 29, 2008, from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 80.
"His work paved the way for clinical social work to be recognized as a legitimate profession, and all social workers are grateful for his work," said Janlee Wong, executive director of the California chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).
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In Japan there were decapitations. Hangings in Norway. Group stabbings in Israel. Some say the problems are worse in Italy.
School violence isn't confined to the United States. But until recently there was little communication across borders between researchers, even though some countries like England, Norway and New Zealand have been effectively dealing with violence in schools for decades.