Rural Social Work

Mansfield University Alumni Hall Student Center

Mansfield, PA

NASW-PA Fall 2009 Mini-Conferences•

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25:30 p.m. Registration begins

7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Opening Ceremony Social workers have the ability to impact the lives of clients. Come and listen as clients express their feel-ings of gratitude, positive gains in life, or continuing struggles on their issues through music, poetry, short stories, or other expressive outlets. Not often enough do we take a moment to reflect on those lives we have touched, so please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our clients.

8:00 – 9:00 p.m. President’s ReceptionNASW-PA President Chris Rich warmly welcomes you to spend some time getting to know him, NASW-PA staff, and your social work colleagues from across the great state of Pennsylvania. There will be drinks and desserts to help you unwind and network with peers.

This is a great opportunity to relax prior to partici-pating in a full day of workshops on Saturday.

Rural Social Work ConferenceMansfield University, Alumni Hall – Student CenterMansfield, PA

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Plenary Session

Pennsylvania’s Rural Public HousingPamela Twiss, MSW, PhD, Associate Professor, California University of Pennsylvania

Public housing is available, used, and needed in Pennsylvania’s rural counties. The discourse on public housing tends to focus on urban areas, overlooking these vital housing assets in rural areas. Trends in Pennsylvania’s rural public housing stock and its resi-dents are described in the context of changes over the past ten years.

9:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Women, Aging, & EthicsJan Purk, PhD, Professor, Mansfield University

Examine the experience of aging based on the social issues women experience in all times of life including economic differences, health, race/ethnicity, gender role difference, and social class. This program will examine controversial and ethical issues in aging, including government funding, medical treatment, and future of older adult women from both the individual and the global perspective.

Ethical Social Work DiscussionJenna Mehnert, MSW, Executive Director, NASW-PA

Ethics is not often a cut and dried issue; many times there are extenuating circumstances that surround a case. Come and interact with your social work peers as vignettes are worked out in the group setting. This is a new twist on making ethics interactive and alive in a workshop setting.

• Rural Social Work Conference• Multicultural Social Work with a Global Context

EACH UP TO 12.5 CEs

Rural Social Work

Mansfield University Alumni Hall Student Center

Mansfield, PA

NASW-PA Fall 2009 Mini-Conferences

Rural Setting, Urban Challenges — Providing Social Work Services in a Rural Commuter CommunityShari VanderGast, JD, LCSW, Patient Safety Officer, Pocono Medical Center

Georgiana Lopez, LSW, Clinical Coordinator

It is not unusual for residents of the Pocono Mountains to travel 2–3 hours each way to New York City or northern New Jersey for work. This creates many challenges for residents as they attempt to access health care and social services in a location 100-150 miles away from where they spend the majority of their day. Increased travel time has resulted in decreased amounts of time that families have avail-able to spend together. Long commutes have also created many challenges for the social workers who are working with these clients and their families, including the need for expanded service hours and flexibility in how and when patients enter and are discharged from services. This session will focus on the Pocono Mountains as a very unique rural com-munity that has more traditional “urban” problems, distinct resource challenges, and future plans to address significant shortage of resources in this rural community.

Where do I go for...?This workshop will take place in the computer lab, directions will be posted.

Rhonda Keller, LCSW, Field Director, Mansfield University

Matthew Syrett, Library Information Services, Mansfield University

Conducted in a computer laboratory, this workshop is designed to teach participants how to find current practice and clinical information online. Best practice research is increasingly being held as the standard to which practitioners must adhere or face legal liability. Participants will learn how to locate data bases that include best social work practice and clinical infor-mation from their own computers, as well as credible resources for clients/consumers. This workshop is presented in conjunction with a Mansfield University librarian.

3:45 – 5:45 p.m. Social Workers as Agents of ChangeRep. Tim Seip, LSW, State Representative for 125th Legislative District

Jenna Mehnert, MSW, Executive Director, NASW-PA

Are you confused if you are an Agent of Change? Confused where to turn, how to start, or what to do? Come and learn the basics of social advocacy. Social workers have the ability to effect change in our communities/agencies and in the larger politi-cal arena. Learn what it means to be an agent of change from grassroots efforts to running for a public office from two dynamic speakers.

Hotel ReservationsReserve your room by calling the hotel directly.

Rural Social Work ConferenceMansfield, PAOctober 2–3, 2009

NASW-PA has a room block for Friday and Saturday nights. Please know this is Alumni Weekend and the hotel will fill up quickly; reserve your room early. Please mention that you are part of the National Association of Social Workers conference.

Penn Wells Hotel62 Mail StreetWellsboro, PA 16901570-724-2111

For more information visit www.pennwells.com

12:15 – 1:15 p.m. NASW-PA Awards LuncheonJoin us in celebrating our award recipients for their accomplishments and commitment to the social work profession.

1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Group Facilitation: An Agent of ChangeGenelle Sweetser, LCSW, private practitioner and developer of a school based prevention/inter-vention program in the Lewisburg School DistrictPatricia Wertman, LSW, Prevention/Intervention Specialist, Lewisburg School DistrictMike Maize, MA, Prevention/Intervention Specialist, Danville School District

Social workers are in a unique position to initiate change. Group Facilitation is a powerful and effec-tive tool to transform group members. This workshop will give an overview of how to facilitate effective groups. Through experiential methods, you will expe-rience how skilled group facilitation can make a difference in people’s lives.

Food Pantries in Rural Pennsyl-vania: Community Social Agencies in a Time of Need Suzanne McDevitt, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Food pantries, which developed as part of the response to the severe recession of the early 1980’s, in an era of governmental retrenchment, have become a network of largely voluntary and highly variable social agencies serving communities in settings from the very urban to the very rural. This presentation reviews the findings of a survey of food pantry operators in the 48 counties of rural Pennsyl-vania that finds a system challenged by societal con-ditions and a growing population in need.

NASW-PA Fall 2009 Mini-Conferences NASW-PA Fall 2009 Mini-Conferences

Registration InformationRegistrations are honored on a first-come, first-served basis by date received.

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE REGISTRATION FEE?

• admission to continuing education workshops• refreshment breaks• continental breakfasts• lunches• special events

3 WAYS TO REGISTER (full payment must accompany all registrations)

1. online: at www.nasw-pa.org

2. by fax: 717-232-4140, or

3. by mail (make checks payable to NASW-PA)

NASW-PA2009 Mini-Conferences

425 N. 21st Street, Suite 401 Camp Hill, PA 17011

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

• Cancellation and refund requests must be made in writing. Mail the request to NASW-PA, Fall 2009 Mini-Conferences, 425 N. 21st Street, Suite 401, Camp Hill, PA 17011, or fax your request to 717-232-4140.

• Please date letters.

• A full refund (less a $30 administrative fee) will be processed for cancellations received by pre-registration deadline. Cancellations post-marked after the pre-registration deadline will receive no refund.

• Absolutely no refunds will be given for failure to attend the conference.

Crisis and OpportunityJames Kuemmerle, ACSW, LCSW, MH/MR Administrator/Executive Director, Armstrong- Indiana MH/MR Program

Social workers possess unique skills and talents that can make them natural leaders. As current human service administrators and executive directors retire, this presents an opportunity for social workers to assume these roles. There are unique challenges and obstacles for social workers who attain leadership roles in rural communities. Social workers work with special needs populations, understand the unique needs of these individuals, and how to serve them. Opportunities are available for social workers to make an impact as administrators.

Introducing Rural Social Work Students to Urban SettingsNancy Sidell, PhD, BSW Program Director, Mansfield University

Rhonda Keller, MSW, LCSW, BSW Field Director, Mansfield University

Janice K. Purk, PhD, Professor, Mansfield University

Helping rural students understand the issues of urban life is not always an easy process. Many students face the reality of urban and suburban employment when their only base for experiencing the world is the rural area in which they reside. Textbooks often focus on the issues of urban areas but rural student understanding remains limited. After experiencing students report of the difficult transition in these arenas, the program initiated an urban travel experi-ence. The success of this intervention was evaluated through a pre/post test to evaluate their experience and change in understanding. This presentation will address building a successful travel experience and the change in students understanding of urban and suburban social problems and social welfare issues.

6:45 – 9:45 p.m.Lars and the Real Girl: Family, Community, and a DelusionAmy Sagen, LSW, MSG, Director of Program Services, NASW-PA

Come and relax as we watch the movie Lars and the Real Girl. Afterwards, join me for a lively discussion on the issues that were raised in the movie, includ-ing relationships of siblings, families, and the larger community; adaptive or maladaptive coping mecha-nisms of the characters; and the dynamic relationship between Lars and his therapist. Set in a rural northern town, this movie explores the positive and negative impacts a community may have on its residents. ●