Recently my eyes were accosted by an article asking, “What is Happening at the Columbia School of Social Work?” by Pamela Paul. Notice the lack of a BSW, MSW, LMSW, LCSW, or othe… Read More

How am I doing? This blog post is over two-weeks late and this is the fifth time I have attempted to sit down and write. What started as an eloquent condensed comparison of problematic occur… Read More

Let me tell you about the time Texas tried to codify how to overturn an election in the middle of the night. It all started decades ago when reports about climate change started to gain trac… Read More

It has been said over and over again in the media and in the halls of the Texas Capitol that the 87th Texas Legislative Session was the most aggressive in not only pushing but passing very c… Read More

LIVED EXPERIENCE As a professional Sickle Cell advocate, there is nothing that supersedes the lived experience. Living with a chronic illness every day gives a perspective that can never be… Read More

I’ve always been one to say exactly how I feel, and honesty is one of my most important values. Yet, writing this blog post has been next to impossible for me in the last few weeks. In… Read More

“When white Americans tell the Negro to lift himself by his own bootstraps, they don’t look over the legacy of slavery and segregation. Now I believe we ought to do all we can an… Read More

In my first blog post, I talked about how representation matters. As the session continues, it is more apparent that representation matters especially when it comes down to bills. Bills that… Read More

I was supposed to write this post weeks ago, way back during budget week in April. Or was that in March? Lege time feels very different from usual work time. You never know when your boss is… Read More

As the end of my internship at the Texas State Capitol hurdles towards me, I am taking time to sit back and reflect on my experience. With only a couple of weeks left, I have caught myself w… Read More

Someone recently asked me, “so how do you like session so far?” Being a first-year staffer, I have been asked this question more times than I can count. However, the longer I&rsq… Read More

In the beginning of the 87th Texas Legislative Session, I felt hopeful. Hopeful for what I would learn, the ways I would grow, the people I would meet, the friends I would make, things I wou… Read More

I have been thinking a lot about integrity lately. It is my favorite of social work’s six core values, perhaps because it is the most all-encompassing. The word can represent honesty… Read More

One Friday night in early March, after a long work week during the lege, I received a text message from a white friend. The noting of my friend’s “whiteness” is an essentia… Read More

On March 25, the George Floyd Act (House Bill 88) was heard in the Texas House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety. The legislation is authored by Chairwoman Senfronia Thompson… Read More

I am a born and raised Austinite, a rare breed nowadays. Due to proximity, I have been roaming around the Texas Capitol building since before I could properly walk. Drinking Slurpees on the… Read More

While training for my internship at the Texas Capitol, I often heard that regardless of how extensively I prepared, it would not equip me for what was ahead. After two months, I still consis… Read More

It’s that time of year again where I remove my admin hat and go back to writing. Of course, I never stop writing as a PhD student and as a lecturer, but sadly my article days have grow… Read More

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” ― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Read More

My experience in this legislative session so far has only fueled the deep-rooted rage and frustration within me that has persisted since the start of my social work education. For many of us… Read More

On January 12, 2021 the Texas Legislature kicked off the 87th Legislative Session. Long before the start of the session, myself and 13 others from the University of Houston Graduate College… Read More

My experience graduating from the University of Michigan in 2010 made me realize the importance of representation. The lack of diversity at my university pushed me to go into education. I wa… Read More

Before I even started my legislative internship, the 87th legislative session was foreseen as a challenge, due to balancing the fulfillment of the democratic pr… Read More

We have been repeatedly told that this experience interning at the Texas Capitol will be fast paced, to say the least. We will be stressed out and overworked in ways that few people can unde… Read More

During my graduate studies, I’ve been confronted time and again with the perennial question, what is it you study? To dispense always, in tailored anticipation, political social work:… Read More

As an eternal optimist, I believe people from different backgrounds and beliefs not only can work together, but this is how true progress happens and a better world is built. It became harde… Read More

As an individual focused on drug policy and the justice-system in a highly conservative state, I thought rhetoric would not surprise me, but I was wrong. I have surrounded myself with social… Read More

Earlier this week, the Texas Legislature kicked off its 87th Regular Session, as 14 University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) students kicked off their… Read More

When it comes to managing time at university, it can be an incredibly overwhelming and jarring shift from a relaxed school life. Because of this, people who are just starting their first yea… Read More

I’ve been teaching for about five years. It was a large reason why I decided to pursue a PhD, I adore teaching, it makes me excited each and every day I get to have the privilege to do… Read More

It’s social work month again, which means the annual ‘list of things’ started of so many years ago. This year I can’t help but feel it is tinged with a sadder view, a… Read More

Prejudice occurs in many forms and can have a significant effect on the well-being of those who experience it—including various aspects of physical and mental health. When this occurs… Read More

Having a few drinks may seem harmless enough. However, for those who consume high amounts of alcohol in a short period of time, the implications of binge drinking could be much more serious… Read More

      Call for Papers Financial Capability and Asset Building: Achievements, Challenges, and Next Steps (2020–2025) The 2020 Financial Capability and Asset Bu… Read More

Though some may be reluctant to talk about it, emerging research about family estrangement suggests this dynamic is more common than many people think. Broadly defined as “one or more… Read More

As the 86th Texas Legislative Session has come to a close, I have found myself reflecting more and more on all of the hard work that is done over the course of 140 days. The fact that two ye… Read More

It is my understanding that I am writing one of the final blog posts for the session for the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work Austin Legislative Internship Pro… Read More

What is change? Change, a verb meaning to make or become different or a noun meaning the act or instance of making or becoming different is, first of all, subjective. What everyone wants to… Read More

Over the past two weeks, I have been responsible for 105 bill analyses on subjects that have been referred to the Texas House of Representatives’State Affairs ,Criminal Jurisprude… Read More

Mr. Speaker – Members, We have entered the last month of the 86thLege! As a social work intern and policy analyst with the Legislative Study Group, a lot of blood, sweat, and tear… Read More

As a social work intern with the Legislative Study Group (LSG), I am the staffer assigned to the Texas House of Representative’s Appropriations Committee. In this role, I have a front… Read More

As an aspiring social worker at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, I am no stranger to the stereotypes, assumptions, and misconceptions about social work th… Read More

“People come here to see how the sausage is made, but some of them become vegetarians.” – Quoted on Overheard Texas Lege (@overheardtxlege on Instagram) Located in an offic… Read More

As Easter came and went, I was able to go home and see my family and friends for the last time before session ends. Even at 4 months into this University of Houston Graduate College of… Read More

This is my second of two blogs and I figured this one would prove easier to write than the first. There have been a whole lot of meetings, even more bills, almost as much coffee, and several… Read More

Have you ever done something that was expected of you, but that may not have aligned with what you really felt like doing? Welcome to how you might feel all the time if you ever choose a pat… Read More

Digital marketing has become a part of every business in 2019. It’s not just a tool that helps you grow your business. It’s a necessity without which you can’t survive in t… Read More

Talking about race with children can be overwhelming for parents. However, children ask questions about racism because they see and experience inequalities and inequities in the world around… Read More

Part of the preparation for this University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work legislative internship consists of, what I like to think of as, Legislature Boot Camp fo… Read More

In my two and a half months as a University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work legislative intern at the Texas Capitol, I have learned a lot.  Some of what I’ve… Read More

Researching plastic waste for a class presentation last semester at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work and watching “The Devil We Know” caused my existing… Read More

Since accepting the offer to participate in the Austin Legislative Internship Program, we have been told over and over again that we will be working with some very important people within th… Read More

This is my first legislative session and first blog post ever. I am much more daunted by the former than the latter, which screams volumes, given my avowed phobia of writing. Despite he… Read More

During the last decade, the number of emergency room and hospital visits linked to suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among children nearly doubled, according to a study in Pediatrics. T… Read More

It is difficult to decide what route to take with this blog post. It seems as though a quality approach is to type and think at the same speed: My name is Sophia Creede, and I have been livi… Read More

Yesterday was the start of the 86thTexas Legislative Session and I couldn’t be more excited to start training as a Policy Analyst with the Texas Legislative Study Group. Prior to the s… Read More

Becoming a woman who never took politics seriously, to becoming a Texas Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar, deputized to register voters in each of 5 counties. Then being accepted to the Austi… Read More

Social activism is about much more than disobedience and disruption. There are many effective ways that individuals can help to influence the political landscape and shape public policy &mda… Read More

Although the world may have progressed since the 19th century, by and large, interracial couples still tend to receive a lot of stares. While those doing the staring may not even be aware of… Read More

“Thank you for your service” or donations to vet organizations are the extent of action for many civilians not personally or professionally engaged with military populations. Pr… Read More

A few days before Christmas, the federal government extended an invitation to state child welfare agencies that has the potential to completely transform the system. The invitatio… Read More

Unfortunately, stress and anxiety are prominent in society at the moment and needs to be addressed so people can live happy and healthy lives. Both children and adults alike have to deal wit… Read More

Approximately one in seven Americans will face drug or alcohol addiction in their lifetime. Yet only 10 percent of individuals with a substance use disorder receive specialty treatment. The… Read More

I was sitting in the kitchen of my Professor’s home, at a gathering to welcome a visiting examiner for a peer’s PhD. It’s the type of event that only happens in academia, s… Read More

It’s a damaging practice that targets the very core of an individual’s identity—and in the United States, it is still legal for minors in 36 states. Conversion therapy is a… Read More

Millions of African Americans experience mental illness each year, but face obstacles to effective treatment their white peers do not endure. Practitioners without experience living as an Af… Read More

More seniors are choosing to age in place, and caregivers are often attempting to assist them from far away. Thankfully, many solutions are available to ease this long-distance dilemma. A gr… Read More

“High School Students ‘Speak Up and Speak Out’ About Today’s Timely Issues” Click Here to listen: https://soundcloud.com/user-848078426/youth-bureau-community-c… Read More

Whenever helping someone find employment, I know two things; they want a job and they are only going to share what they think is needed for me to help them. There are many things which, havi… Read More

Voice of an FCNI Staff We all know that the Back-to-School anxiety is a real thing, so some of our Rehabilitation Specialist staff who work one-on-one with our youth and families, as well as… Read More

Gender identity has increasingly entered the national conversation. After centuries of oppression, trans and gender non-conforming individuals continue to fight for visibility and civil righ… Read More

As soon as Border Patrol picked them up after they crossed into the U.S. from Guatemala, Jamelin González and her two brothers were separated from their mother –– the sibl… Read More

Scot R. Peterson, the school resource officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., became a pariah for never venturing into the building where a former student shot and… Read More

An influential child welfare foundation has a new diagnosis for what ails New York City’s foster care system. It explains one of the most vexing issues facing youth who have been… Read More

Steve Sturm shows off the computer program he developed to help get at-risk children enrolled in preschool. Photo: Sara Tiano Steve Sturm believes every child should have the same oppo… Read More

In my life, I have searched for many things.  I have sought out love.  I have tried to find peace.  But more than anything, it seems like my life has been one constant search… Read More

Texas’ Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) is moving forward with its privatization of foster care in 30 new counties across the state. The “community-based… Read More

Not everybody wants the same things, nor do people who do want the same things want them to the same degree. Take yesterday. So there I was on day 1 of a 7 day career exploration workshop. 7… Read More

Known as “earn-and-learn” programs, apprenticeships could be a good way for foster youth to start careers in construction and other trades. This past spring, Washington became t… Read More

I’d like you to pause for a moment and think about the people you rely on in your personal life, whether it’s a home renovation contractor, someone you consult at the local garde… Read More

Leaders from some of the nation’s largest domestic human service providers strongly condemned the Trump administration’s policy of removing children from asylum-seeking par… Read More

  “Education exposes young people to a broader world, a world full of opportunity and hope.”  -Christine Gregorie It is a hard life lesson to learn that you ne… Read More

Hi mom. How are you? Me, I’m not so good. I want to talk with you about how I’ve felt for a long time now, but I keep putting off saying what’s really on my mind. Mostly be… Read More

I thought about writing Jim instead.  That is your name.  It has been a while since I have thought of you as more than the person who spread his seed. That certainly doesn’t… Read More

The number of children separated from their parents at the border since April is almost equal to the number taken by U.S. child protective services (CPS) every three days.  … Read More

Durham, N.C. — Attorneys for the family of Uniece “Niecey” Fennell, who was found deceased, hanging in the Durham County Detention Facility (DCDF) in March 2017, have ag… Read More

The Center for Financial Social Work is offering a free three week online money support group to fifteen members of the Financial Social Work (FSW) community. Registration for the pilot pro… Read More

Led by Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13), chair of the Congressional Social Work Caucus, five social workers in the House of Representatives released a statement on the Trump Administrati… Read More

The following statement was given by SCSJ attorneys Ian Mance and Whitley Carpenter at the June 11 Durham County Board of Commissioners regarding Durham County’s Fiscal Year 2018-19 B… Read More

As California continues to work to address educational disparities for foster students, an increasing number of counties in the state are buying into a homegrown data-sharing system… Read More

Central American asylum seekers, including a Honduran girl, 2, and her mother, are taken into custody near the U.S.-Mexico border in June in McAllen, Texas. John Moore/Getty Images _______… Read More

WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court issued opinions on June 18, 2018, in two partisan ing cases, Gill v. Whitford (Wisconsin) and Besinek v. Lamone (Maryland). The Wisconsin cas… Read More

Social Justice Solutions was created to promote active participation to create a more socially just world. Relying on our social work code of ethics, SJS has continuously supported the missi… Read More

John Jimno During the 2014/2015 school year, things were looking grim at Park Middle School in Antioch, CA. At the time, staff couldn’t corral student disruptions. Teacher morale was… Read More

Mother’s Day is here again.  This will be my 7th Mother’s Day without a mother.  That isn’t true, is it?  It has been 7 years since I cut you off. … Read More

Image via TwitterBy Celia Fisher, PhD Fordham University Federal regulations prohibiting scientists from using prisoners to study health problems not directly related to the causes and cond… Read More

Obesity is the most common chronic disease of childhood. The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) reports this condition now affects more than 30 percent of children in the U.S. –– a n… Read More

Here are some surprising statistics about school discipline today: Some 4 million U.S. students –– almost 1 in 10 –– are suspended from school annually. Prekindergart… Read More

One of the oldest laws to have ever existed in American History is the False Claims Act or the “Lincoln Law”. This law was intended to help protect the government against any par… Read More

A late April event in New Mexico celebrated the passage of legislation offering a tax credit to businesses that hire former for youth, the first of its kind. Attendees of the conference inc… Read More