News Archive
Research
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Most national militaries have challenging basic training programs to ensure new members' physical fitness. Few, however, devote as much time to mental health.
And that may come as a detriment. A growing body of research suggests that targeted mental health training lessens the likelihood of later showing symptoms of post-traumatic stress and depression, or of sleep and substance problems for active duty service members and veterans.
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Eighteen and pregnant, Jessica Chandler was terrified. Taken away from her mentally ill mother and placed into the foster care system as a child, she wanted to be a good parent.
"But I didn't really know what that meant," said Chandler, now a graduate student at Cal State Northridge.
Although she got help from programs that taught her about child rearing, two of her sisters were less fortunate. They struggled with parenting and lost their children to the same system that once claimed them.
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Social workers do not typically rub elbows with Hollywood executives and personalities, but USC School of Social Work Assistant Professor Jeremy Goldbach did just that this fall when he received an invitation to join a panel of mental health professionals and artists from the entertainment industry. “Mental Health Goes to Hollywood” was aimed at bringing awareness to the industry concerning issues related to stigma in mental health.
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The USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families (CIR) was one of seven organizations to be awarded the inaugural Seal of Distinction by the Call of Duty Endowment Thursday for its efforts at helping transitioning veterans gain meaningful employment.
The Seal of Distinction comes with a $30,000 unrestricted grant and potential for larger grants by the endowment.
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The University of Southern California School of Social Work has launched the most comprehensive survey to date to gauge the diverse needs of Los Angeles County’s military community, including families and service providers.
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For individuals who rely on self-propelled wheelchairs, upper body injuries can be catastrophic.
More than 70 percent of people in manual wheelchairs develop shoulder pain or injuries due to repetitive movements and overuse, often resulting in decreased mobility, reduced physical activity, increased weight and other negative consequences that can decrease their quality of life. Motorized wheelchairs are an option but have their own pitfalls, such as limited battery life and transportation difficulties due to their bulky size.
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As the newest member of the USC School of Social Work faculty, retired colonel Carl Castro is looking forward to tackling the toughest problems confronting military service members and veterans.
“The most pressing challenges the military has right now from an active-duty perspective is this high suicide rate in the Army, sexual assault issues facing all the services, and facilitating the transition from a wartime military to a peacetime military,” he said. “That dovetails into issues facing veterans and service members entering civilian life.”
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Much like the rest of the United States, Los Angeles is growing older. Its older adult population is projected to double by 2030. Compounding the problem is a looming shortage of geriatric social workers the National Institute on Aging estimates will need to increase 50 percent by 2020 to keep pace. Yet, the country’s accredited schools and programs of social work often struggle to recruit and graduate enough students to handle the demand.
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Retired Gen. David Petraeus officially became “Professor Petraeus” to USC students last week — lecturing on energy and the U.S. economy, meeting with student veterans and cheering the football team to a win in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
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The USC Price School of Public Policy held a daylong conference Oct. 8 to discuss the needs of returning veterans, especially with regard to employment and housing.
The conference, “Work and Home: Addressing the Urgent Needs of Returning Veterans,” featured a number of high-profile speakers, including opening remarks by Gen. David Petraeus, USC Judge Widney Professor, and affiliated faculty with the USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families (CIR) at the USC School of Social Work, and a keynote address by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.