National Rural Social Work Caucus

Previously known as the Rural Social Work Caucus

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Don't fall out of your chairs, I am back on line - finally!

A couple of notes from the Michigan Chapter of the Rural Social work Caucus.

1. The Michigan Chapter has had membership representing the 5,000 rural social workers in Michigan on the Michigan Social Work Licensing Board's Continuing Education Colaborative. The Colaborative has as it membership representives from all of the major social work professional organizations in the state plus representives from the schools of social work. The Colaborative has built a CE system that has a solid foundation and is continuing to adapt authorizing CE for distance learning and on-line workshops. NASW - Michigan  has the contract with the State for administrative support for the CE system.

I am on the executive committe of the Colaboration and have just finished rewriting an updated draft of operational rules for the Colaborative.

2. The Michigan Chapter is in discussion about seeking the 2013 Conference. My suggestion of having it in an old CCC camp was not warmly received since it is near a National Guard Artillery Range.

3. Chapter Members continue to bring rural challenges and issues to the tables of the different professional and workplace organizations that they have membership. In community mental health we are looking at 22% cuts next year on top of the cuts that we took this year.

Looking forward to seeing everyone on the conference in Maine.

Peace and Blessings

Oz

36th Annual Institute on Social Work and Human Services in Rural Areas

Hosted by Northwestern State University and to be held in beautiful

Natchitoches, Louisana in July, 2011 Click Here

To check out our YouTube video with scenes of the 33rd Annual Institute Click Here

If you've got some pictures please pass them along and we'll post them up.

The Institute was the first trip to Idaho for many of us.  As for myself, I can say it was certainly an enjoyable experience.  My trek from the Southeast Coast to the Northwest Coast and then back to Boise was certainly interesting.  I even found an airline that still believed in service.  But I expect that the rigors and expense of airline travel today may have deterred a few of our colleagues from making the trip.  Still it was a great conference at a warm and welcoming site. And those who attended appeared to have a great time. 

The program covered social work and service related topics across the board.  There were a number of interesting sessions on rural child welfare including ones on dis-proportionality, developing community resources, identifying success in rural child welfare practice, self-reliant child welfare systems, dream-weaving and cultural relationship chains, and child welfare in Idaho.  Presentations related to the health care were also addressed through session like ones on end of life care in Idaho, services in rural hospice, intergenerational issues and end of life care, and the relationship between state health rankings and population density.  The conference includes presentations on educating social workers for rural practice, particularly through distance education.  There were also presentations on ecology and sustainability, diversity, and professional ethics.  Copies of many of these presentations may be available through the conference proceedings which will be produced by the School of Social Work at Boise State University.          

In all the Boise experience was great.  Sam Hickman played and sang the Rural Caucus song, now a fixture at our annual meeting.  One of the conference activities included a presentation on Native American music.  I got to experience some of the high dry West and the much lush surrounding mountains.   Several of us also traveled the short distance downtown to experience the Basque festival.

At the business meeting the most significant action was for the Caucus to move to a little more formality in structure.  A set of Operating Principles for the Caucus that were developed for the Caucus by Dick Osburn were adopted.  The operating principles are available on the website.  These principles had been in circulation since last year’s conference in Montgomery and were passed without opposition.  Elections were held for the President and Secretary positions and Mike Daley and Sam Hickman were reelected to those positions.  We plan elections for next year’s conference for both of the Vice-President positions – so if you are interested, let one of the officers know.   

Perhaps the thing that put the biggest damper on the Institute was the absence of three of our long-time active members Barry Locke, Richard (OZ) Osburn, and Kim-Anne Perkins due to health related issues.  We wish them well and hope they are back for next year.    

Let’s look forward to meeting again at the 34^th Annual Institute July 26-28 in Duluth, Minnesota.  The theme of the conference is Diverse Populations: Challenges for Rural Social Work in the 21^st Century.  The hosts are planning a good program and exciting activities. Presenters get your proposals ready and we hope to see you all there.  

Mike Daley

Presdint

Rural Social Work Caucus

by Michael Daley

For the 32nd consecutive year the Rural Social Work Caucus, an organization that prides itself on existing by rumor, came together in Montgomery, Alabama from July 25-28, 2007 for its annual conference. The theme of the conference was “celebrating the Textures of Rural America: Responding to Individuals and Families Throughout the Life Cycle”. Over one hundred ten participants experienced the open and informal atmosphere, the camaraderie, educational workshops, cultural events, and regional food that have become a tradition at the conference. Conference coordinator was Ben Arellano of Troy University and the event sponsors were Troy University, Wiregrass Hospice, and Gentiva.

Over the years the conference has provided the best meeting place for those with an interest in rural social work and has served as a springboard for much of the literature on rural social work and the development of rural social work policy. Although it is known by most as the “Rural Conference” the official name of the event is the National Institute on Social Work and Human Services in Rural Areas.

The pre-conference activities began on the 25th with a day long tour of Civil Rights landmarks in Montgomery and Selma. This activity was intense as well as being educational. Morning stops were Montgomery Civil Rights landmarks, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Rosa Parks Museum, and the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church-King Memorial. Afternoon landmarks in Selma included the Lowndes County Interpretive Center, National Voting Rights Museum, and Slavery to Freedom Museum. Although a “cold front” had moved through the area attendees were introduced to the hot muggy weather of Alabama summers.

On the morning of the 26th the conference officially began after a host sponsored breakfast that included a regional meal of biscuits and sausage. Welcome speakers included Caucus President Mike Daley who welcomed everyone to Alabama and to the conference, Secretary Sam Hickman who sang the Caucus song, and host Ben Arellano who welcomed the attendees to Montgomery and provided information about the conference. Richard Osburn (better known as Oz) spoke about the traditions of the Rural Caucus and inducted everyone as members. Following the welcome there was an excellent general session on Compassion Fatigue led by B. C. Farnham and Dr. Denise Green.

During the lunch hour the guest speaker was Dr. Barry Locke on the history of rural social work, the Rural Caucus, and the outlook for rural social work in the future. Barry has a long tradition with the Caucus having attended the first conference and attending conferences regularly since then. At the conclusion of his talk, he was presented with a framed photograph of rural West Virginia in appreciation for his long service to the Caucus.

In the afternoon attendees were able to choose from eleven breakout sessions that covered a wide range of topics. These included the Civilian Conservation Corps, Southern Educational Settlements in African American Communities, Anticipatory Grief, Conceptualizing Rural Social Work, Drug Courts, The Freedman’s Bureau, Electronic Social Networking, Law Enforcement and Child Protection, Group Treatment of Sexual Offenders, and Senior Citizens Well Being. Sessions were entertaining, educational and offered CEU credits.

The evening activity was a minor league baseball game that featured the local Montgomery Biscuits against the Mobile Bay Bears. The site was beautiful stadium in a remodeled train station and warehouse area and the evening meal was far better than most ballpark food. Those who attended the game were able to network and were treated to the occasional train rolling past left field as well as really interesting competitions between innings. It was a true regional experience as the game was clearly an activity that involved community people and their families. Biscuit memorabilia seemed to be a much prized item among those who attended the game. Alas, the home team lost, but a good time was had by all.

The 27th began with another biscuit breakfast and some may have feared their cholesterol level rising. The morning sessions offered twelve breakout sessions. The topics covered were Education and Entrepreneurship in Rural India, EPAS and Rural Social Work, Ethical Dilemmas, Facilitating Client Bereavement, The NRA Targeting Social Problems, Voices of Rural Poverty, Linking Community Agencies with University Faculty, End-of-Life Care, Domestic Violence, Mental Health in the Rural Primary Clinic, Terminal Illness, and Evidence Based Practice.

During thee lunch session which included regional foods like greens, squash and fried chicken, the Caucus conducted its business meeting. Full minutes of the meeting will be available on the Caucus web site. The Caucus is developing a set of Operating Principles that give a little more formal structure to the organization (but not too much). When adopted by the steering committee these principles will be posted for review by the members and voted on at next year’s conference. Elections were held to affirm former Vice-President Mike Daley continuing as President for one year following the resignation of Suzie Cashwell. A second election was held to elect a new Vice- President. Two Vice-Presidents were elected Peg Pittman Munke and Scott Sorensen.

The group voted to hold our 2008 conference in Boise, Idaho. Congratulations to Butch Rodenhiser and we look forward to visiting a cooler climate. There was discussion of the new Caucus web site and all of the recent additions. All were encouraged to use the web site and the Caucus listserv. The new journal Contemporary Rural Social Work is now up on the web site. This is an on line journal that will begin accepting submission on September 1st. Work continues on the Rural Social Work policy statement for NASW.

The afternoon featured twelve more breakout sessions. Topics for these sessions were Music and Rural Culture, Administrators from the Dark Side, Community Organizing for a Primary Health Care Clinic, Emotional Intelligence, Improving Behavioral Health Care, Role of the African-American Church, Teaching Rural Content Online, Rural Outreach Targeting Youth, Rural African-American Caregivers, Volunteer Coordination, MAT Assessment, and Working with Social Disability Clients.

Unfortunately the planned evening event at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival had to be cancelled. But rural social workers are adaptable people. So many attendees took the opportunity to create their own experience. A trip to a local barbeque restaurant was organized and the evening was spent in good company and good food. Good barbeque greens, okra, and lemon icebox pie were consumed in great quantities was there was ample opportunity to visit and share experiences. Upon return to the hotel the energy levels were waning but a few hard souls stayed to visit and sing in the lobby area.

The conference ended on Saturday the 28th and the sponsors provided us with a full breakfast for the road. There were a few concluding announcements and thank you was extended to the attendees. The final general session was presented by Dr. Denise Green and dealt with addressing services for children with severe emotional disability. See you all next year!

The Journal will be a great new resource for rural social workers.

Effective September 1st the Journal will be accepting manuscript submissions.

Click here to view the Proceedings of the 34th Annual National Institute on Social Work and Human Services in Rural Areas held in Duluth, Minnesota July 26-28, 2009.