Associate Professor Jeff Shook was asked to join the transition committee for Pittsburgh Mayor-Elect Ed Gainey. He will be on the education and workforce development committee. School of Social Work alumnae Kathi Elliott and Monica Ruiz have also been appointed. Read more in the Tribune-Review.

Assistant Professor Nev Jones’ new article “Youths’ and Young Adults’ Experiences of Police Involvement During Initiation of Involuntary Psychiatric Holds and Transport” was published in the journal, Psychiatric Services. Read more.

BASW program director Toya Jones taught a 7-week CBT and Trauma course for therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists in China at the The Fourth People's Hospital of Chengdu: Sleep Medical Center (October - December 2021). In China, they use psychotherapy and are very new to CBT, so Dr. Jones taught them the Beck and Ellis concepts along with CBT techniques to use with depression, anxiety, and trauma (in groups, individually, and with children). An average of 50 students attended each week.

Students in the COSA (Community, Organization, and Social Action) Specialization in the MSW Program develop and implement projects as part of their central grades in two of our core courses.  Below is the link to RFP for the SPRING 2022 Community Projects RFP, which is due by January 10, 2022. Link to RFP.

Doctoral program alumna and University of Wisconsin-Madison Associate Professor Lauren Bishop has won the Deborah K. Padgett Early Career Achievement Award from the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR). The award will be given at the SSWR annual conference January 15th at 2pm in Independence BR Salons D/E (ML 4).

MSW alumna Danielle Hamner spoke to the University of Buffalo School of Social Work podcast about "Racism and Mistreatment in the Mental Health Field: A Practitioner’s Voice." Listen here.

Pittsburgh’s Office of Community Health and Safety has hired three community social workers to aid in efforts to address issues surrounding health, safety and community access to care. All three are Pitt School of Social Work alumni--Anmol Baxi, Elizabeth Curtis and Nathaniel Morley. Read more in the Tribune-Review.

Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a “day on, not a day off.” Register here.

The Pitt Social Work community mourned the passing of Dean Emeritus Larry Davis earlier this year. In remembrance of Dean Davis’s many contributions to the School and social work profession, we are pleased to join the School’s Board of Visitors and University leadership in a memorial fundraising effort.

Support social work students’ tuition and other educational expenses by donating to the Kim and Larry Davis Student Fund today. Donate here.