Ohmer receives new AmeriCorps grant

University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work Associate Professor Mary Ohmer and Jason Beery of the UrbanKind Institute have received a $305,818 grant from AmeriCorps for their Research for Equity and Power (REP) project. Community researcher Donnell Pearl will assist with the project. Read more.

Dr. Ohmer also spoke with Public Source about her violence prevention research. Over the past three years, Allegheny County has seen an uptick in youth gun violence, with homicide victims younger than 24 nearly doubling from 2019 through 2021.Read more in Public Source.

2022 Distinguished Alumni Awards!

Please join us this Thursday, October 20th at 5:30pm at the University Club for the 2022 School of Social Work Distinguished Alumni Awards. If you're unable to attend in person, we will be live streaming the program. Use the RSVP link to confirm your attendance and request the streaming link if you're planning to attend virtually.

RSVP HERE.

Pitt's Just Discipline Project expands to more schools this fall

Led by Dr. James Huguley and Dr. Ming-Te Wang, Just Discipline will expand to include 12 more Pennsylvania schools this fall and another 8 next year, supported by a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, $3 million from the Institute for Educational Science, and locally by The Heinz Endowments and The Pittsburgh Study at Children’s Hospital. Read more in Pittwire.

CRSP's Racial Equity Consciousness Institute works toward combating racism

Ron Idoko, founding director of the Racial Equity Consciousness Institute and associate director of the Center of Race and Social Problems, came up with the idea for the Racial Equity Consciousness Institute at Pitt after recognizing a collective need for the nation to do better in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. Read more about this innovative program in the Pitt News.

Alumna honored by Pitt with award

MSW alumna and Board of Visitor member Joy Starzl has been honored with the University of Pittsburgh Bill Baierl Distinguished Alumni Service Award. The award recognizes volunteer service to the University of Pittsburgh that has had a significant impact on advancing the University’s mission. Starzl retired as the executive director of the Lemington Community Center in 2010 and now puts in nearly fulltime hours volunteering at the Eva P. Mitchell Residence and other locations helping senior citizens get the services, care and respect they deserve. Read more.

Alumna honored by Governor Wolf

Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf recognized 11 women, including MSW alumna Terry Miller as this year’s Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania, highlighting their extraordinary achievements and contributions to the commonwealth. Read more.

More October faculty presentations/panels

• Dr. Nev Jones is facilitating a panel entitled Participatory and Community Engaged Methods in Latin America October 19th 9am. Zoom link to join.

• Dr. Toya Jones will be presenting at the NASW-PA conference October 24th at 4:40pm. Her presentation is How Racialized Trauma Takes Root: The Neurological Impact of Racism. As social workers and therapists, our main goal is to improve our interactions and improve the quality of life for the marginalized community. How can we better address the historical racism of our marginalized clients and treat clients' responses to racism as PTSD without the DSM 5 criteria?

• Dr. Mary Ohmer presented University of Pittsburgh and Newcastle University virtual conference on October 19-20, 2022. What are the parameters of high-impact community-engaged research? Drawing on practices from the UK and Pennsylvania, the panel discussed how researchers, university staff, and community stakeholders design, maintain, and implement collaborative partnerships. Other presenters included: Liz Miller, Alison Culyba and Jamil Bey (UrbanKind Institute)

New research by PhD alumnus 

Young people who have been involved with the criminal justice system are much more likely to be unemployed than those who have not. In new research by doctoral alumnus Dr. Lewis H. Lee, he and his colleagues examined the role of neighborhoods in the employment of justice-involved young adults. They find that young adults who perceive worsening neighborhood conditions tend to work less for formal jobs, whereas a justice-involved young adult who has the same perception is more likely to work more for informal or under-the-table jobs. Read more.

MSW student joins Temple Sinai leadership team

MSW student Danie Oberman is the new community engagement director at Temple Sinai. She said Pittsburgh has a growing young adult community that is hard to reach, and she hopes to help create programs that will be inviting for them.  Read more in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.

SEC Election Applications now open!

Want to be a liaison and voice for you fellow MSW students? Want to make connections with faculty and staff? Want to plan fun events for the MSW program to enjoy?! Then the Student Executive Committee might be a place for you!

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 21, 2022

VOTING BEGINS: October 24, 2021

APPLY HERE!

For more information email MSWSEC@pitt.edu

DHS Local Government Case Competition 2022 

Who participates? Graduate students in the areas of public policy, social work, psychology, public health, business, law, sustainability or other relevant fields to local government.  

When is the competition? Wednesday, November 9 – Saturday, November 12 

What can students expect? Participants will join us virtually on the evening of November 9^th, at which time they will be presented with a challenge facing the public sector and will meet the students they’ll be working with. Over the next 48 hours, teams devote as much time as they need to come up with a solution. Presentations will occur in person at the Human Services building in downtown Pittsburgh on Saturday, November 12. Winning teams receive cash prizes. More detailed info can be found in this brochure Local Government Case Competition brochure and on our website https://www.alleghenycounty.us/Human-Services/News-Events/Events/Local-Government-Case-Competition.aspx

How should students apply? Students should register here: the registration form by October 29, 2021.