News Archive
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For more than 25 years, Kathy Ell has conducted extensive research on cancer screening, major depression, general psychological distress, quality of life and morbidity, and mortality associated with life-threatening and chronic illness. She has led ground-breaking clinical studies on cancer screening, timeliness in getting to the hospital for acute cardiac symptoms and depression care among low-income racial and ethnic minorities. And, she was appointed the first executive director of the National Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research.
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The USC School of Social Work and the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center (CASRC) at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, which specializes in longitudinal studies of children at risk for developing mental disorders, have announced a partnership to create a synergy of resources to help advance the field of child mental health and child welfare.
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The USC School of Social Work has named Lawrence A. Palinkas and Ron Avi Astor to two endowed professorships. Both were honored at an installation dinner on Nov. 6 at the USC Davidson Conference Center.
Marilyn Flynn, dean of the School of Social Work, congratulated Palinkas and Astor and noted their significant career accomplishments and the importance of the endowments.
"Endowed professors are heralded," Flynn said. "Their ideas hold a special weight and are deeply respected."
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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.