Social Service

Not sure if this is appropriate place to ask, but I am thinking about doing social work as a major.actually I am 98% sure, but I wanted to know if a medusa piercing would be appropriate for the field? I can provide a picture if necessary...because I think that its very flattering...not out of place at all. oh and im sorry if this isnt the place to ask! if youd like to refer me somewhere else..much appreciated!

Hi all,

Just wanted to let everyone know about a free resource I founded called My Social Work Network (www.mysocialworknetwork.com). I'm sure those who are interested in social services will also find this site helpful. You can create a professional profile, network with other social workers globally who share your interests, search thousands of social work jobs, post and browse resources, and keep current on social work news -just to name a few features. We just added free volunteer/internship posts for those who are either looking to fill a position or for those who are seeking a position. You do not have to be a social worker to join, just bring your passion for your causes.

My hope is My Social Work Network will help our profession to better connect and mobilize so we can better fulfill our mission of social and economic justice for all. Feel free to check the site out and if you feel it adds value to the work we do, please help to spread the word.

Sincerely,
Michelle C. Bussolotti, MSW
Founder of My Social Work Network
www.mysocialworknetwork.com

For most that know me, they know that I find Developmental Centers for the Developmentally Disabled deplorable. Nothing but overglorified mental hospitals or prisons.

http://www.news10.net/news/local/s…

This article supports my belief.

hello!

this is cross posted to a few other communities, i'm sorry if you have to see it more than once. =/

alright, a little info. i am definitely going to go to college, but in the mean time (until i get my GED, and get enrolled and all that) i'm going to need somewhere to live. (I'm living with a friend now but i can only stay until mid april.) i currently have a part time job, and will obviously have to get another to be able to support myself, and even then i still wont be able to cover everything i need. (two part time jobs would be about 400 a month, that's rent/car payment right there). i'm wondering if i would qualify for welfare in that short time? (i don't have any kids, it's just me)

i want to apply for food stamps and all that, and section 8 would be really good and would probably eliminate the need for welfare entirely, but considering that there is usually a waiting list and even then since it's just me i might not even qualify, so it might be a little unrealistic (i'm going to find out more about section 8 this week.)

and just to clarify, finishing high school is unfortunately not an option. i am making the best i can out of a bad situation, and like previously said, i do plan on getting my GED and going to college. =]

Hi, I am a Community Employment Case Manager for a work program for adults with disabilities. I help them find jobs in the community to become more independent. I am also a mother of a child with Fragile X Syndrome with Autistic like tendencies. I just wanted to say hi before I throw out there the politics...

If you're in California, you know that the state is in a major crisis. Just recently the state voted to cut funding for Supported Employment programs by 10%. For our program that's a loss of 40 grand per year, for some larger programs its 40 grand a month. If you dont know what supported employment is, its employment for people with disabilities, in the community, with supervisory support from a job coach whether in a "group" or individual basis. The goal is to work toward Individual and fade out the job coaching to minimal or non existant.

Now the state is pushing for a 3% cut over and above that for not just supported employment but for ALL programs. We've been at a rate freeze for 10 years. Some organizations like mine barely pay above minimum wage for job coaches and not much above that for case managers. These cuts will, of course, make those rates of pay go down yet the quality expected to remain the same. It is unreasonable to ask someone to work for 8 dollars an hour to help another human being or, sometimes, four other human beings learn to be independent. It is especially unreasonable when you consider some people get paid more to say "would you like fries with that?"

My son is 8, I am terrified of what California may or may not even have left for services when he becomes an adult. Our children face an extremely uncertain future in a place that does not even consider them to be important enough for support. This, of course, leaves them to the streets or to developmental programs which are nothing more than psych wards, rather than productive members of teh society. The state is helping them become MORE dependent upon revenue from the state, rather than independent of it.

If this appalls you, like it appalls me and you live in california, please tell your assemblyman. Tell them to stop taking away from our children's future. Tell them to stop taking away from the adults that are just struggling to have a good life.

Thank you

I start classes tomorrow!!! :-D WOOOO!

Ha ha, just in case anyone cares!

UPDATE following my previous community post here on December 27:

Carmen's Place has a new home!

My apologies to all those who've been waiting the last nine days for information, but Father Braxton was still working on many details during the negotiations for the new place (he actually didn't receive word until early this week) and then the physical and related move details were a priority plus dealing with the uncertainty and anxiety the residents were experiencing. Again, my apologies for not posting updates until now, but they've been pretty busy, hectic, and I didn't want to prematurely make any announcements until I felt it was appropriate.

For now, here is a news article by the local newspaper, the Queens Chronicle.
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Also, all forms of additional support (financial, volunteers, other resources and assistance) are still needed. Anyone who is interested in helping are encouraged to do so! Everyone, including the board of directors and Father Braxton himself (now officially an unpaid, full-time chaplain for Carmen's Place) are volunteers and receive no salaries. Almost none of us are professionals at this point. Anyone who's able or willing to donate skills, resources, time, and money are welcomed to contact Father Braxton. It may take a couple of days, but he (or the newly designated volunteer coordinator) will get back to you.

To contact Carmen's Place directly:
email or call Father Braxton directly via
louisbraxtonjr@yahoo.com
1646 512 1703

THANK YOU ALL!

From formulaicnormal's post to transgender a few minutes ago.

Before I proceed with the update, I must say that until the last 7 days, I never really personally felt in the awesome power of the internet. Starting from 7 days ago, I'm now humbled and amazed at what things are possible.

Credit MUST be given particularly to the transgender community and the moderators. I'm back here to post an update, but also to give this community my resounding personal thanks for coming forward and responding. I started to volunteer with them on December 11th even though I didn't have many skills beyond going on the internet. Father Braxton of Carmen's Place told me that he had received a few donations and e-mails from individuals that pointedly mentioned hearing about their plight via posts and comments via LiveJournal. He was thunderstruck and grateful for these responses as he didn't know about LiveJournal prior to this. Among other donors who made a reference to LJ, he received PayPal donations even from as far away as New Zealand. In addition to actual donations, he's received emails from others who asked how they could help, via volunteering services, time, or other. :)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


About Carmen's Place
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How you can help:
We have four days left until 31st December for Father Braxton to actually show he can sustain the shelter for at least when Father Braxton says the shelter will be closed. Ways to help:

( Please spread the word, volunteer your time, and/or donate moneyCollapse )

Again, even if you have neither time, nor money, you can help by spreading the word! Strike up a conversation with your friends and allies, share the information. If any of you know of people in the media or fund-raising organisations, that can also great, but plain word of mouth truly, truly helps. I've learnt this in the last seven days and I know that each of us can truly make a difference. Remember: there is tremendous power in this community.

Please spread the word! Please give the residents of Carmen's Place something to believe in as we ring in 2007.

Thank you all so much!

Hi, my name is Jesse. I'm 27 and recently started working as an intake person or "Access to Care" coordinator for a local Community Health Center. Basically, I help people get on Title 19 disability,WIC and other state and federal programs to help under and uninsured patients. It is stressfull at times, but rewarding to help someone navigate and advocate for themselves in ( as you all know) a rather hostile social services world. I cannot even begin to tell you how bad the DSS people treat my clients when they go it alone. Luckily one phone call to me usually stops the harrasment. I plan to stay a year at least before looking torwards Grant-writing/program design type work. Ideally, i'd like to work for a non-prof or agency and implement community action or grassroots social service programs targeting HIV+ or at risk for HIV transmission populations.

Of interest to Connecticut DSS or Health Advocates: our AG has decided to go after some of the top insurance HMO's because of their refusal to disclose their rate practices as well as shady deeming practices. A study also found ( and my patients confirm this) that hospitals regularly delay or deny treatment to patients who are on Medicaid. Patients are often told that they CANNOT be seen because "we don't take medicaid". Other patients have been forced to pay out of pocket or threatened with a lien when they don't "pay up". Both of these practices are illegal yet commonplace. I have considered writing complaint letters to UCONN medical and a few other fascilities including Yale-New Haven asking them to stand by the state health laws.

Anyone else have any similiar Medicaid/Medicare abuse stories?

i live in alabama and am currently working on my bachelor's in psychology. it's only my first semester as a junior, so i just started. but i want to switch to social work. i don't know if any of you are from alabama and could give me any information about schools, but i'd like to know what all i could do with an MSW or even just a bachelor's in social work.

i just want to know whatever i can.

i want to work with children who are mentally challenged. i currently work in a residential home for mentally challenged adults, so i'm on the right track.

anything you could offer would be great. thanks in advance.