Sharon E. Moore

Long-distance caregiving: A case study of an African-American family

A growing number of Americans are managing and monitoring long-distance caregiving for an elderly parent. The authors offer a first-hand experience of caregiving involving an African-American family, which will be useful to both caregivers and practitioners. The challenges that result from long-distance caregiving are discussed. A detailed case study and assessment is followed by suggested strategies for lessening caregiver stress.

Introduction to African Americans: Benefits and Challenges of Working at Predominantly White Institutions: Strategies for Thriving

This article serves as an introduction to a set of articles by several authors on the difficulties and challenges of being African American at predominately White academic institutions. The guest editors note that African Americans play critical roles in mentoring African American students and junior African American faculty. Yet, challenges exist from sometimes a few hostile White students and administrators, who question the competencies and scholarship of African American faculty. The guest editors introduce the authors and provide a summary of their articles.

Hands up—Don’t shoot: Police shooting of young Black males: Implications for social work and human services

ABSTRACT Police shootings of young Black males that ultimately result in their death have become an all-too-common occurrence in this country. The deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Gardner have highlighted police relations with this population. Before viable solutions can be established, a number of areas need to be addressed that relate to the historical context in which police relations with this group exist that impact current relations between the police and young Black males, why their lives are seemingly given less value by society than those of their White counterparts, the role that spirituality and religiosity play that may help to make connections between them and the police, and the benefit of the Black church in fostering amicable police relations with young Black males. This article addresses these issues and concludes with recommendations for how the social work and human services professions, along with the Black church and police, can be responsive and proactive in addressing this social problem.

Substance Abuse Treatment with Adolescent African American Males

Abstract The use of substances by adolescent African American males is of particular concern because of the damaging effect that drug abuse has not only on the individual and his family but also on the African American community. The literature is scant regarding treatment services and few therapeutic interventions have been specifically designed to holistically meet the needs of these youth. This article proposes the use of Afrocentricity and Reality Therapy as therapeutic bases for substance abuse treatment with this population.

Introduction to the special issue on police shooting of unarmed African American males: Implications for the individual, the family, and the community

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness. (Jefferson, 1776)

Social Work Online Education: A Model for Getting Started and Staying Connected

Social work education has been greatly affected by ongoing technological advances in society at large and in the academy. Options for instructional delivery have been broadened tremendously. The University of Louisville is the first in Kentucky to put its master’s of social work degree fully online, with a first cohort admitted in 2012. The purpose of this article is to provide a model of program development for those social work programs that are considering whether or not to create an online program. The authors explain the process and considerations that went into exploring the online program that was eventually developed and offered by the Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and conclude with implications for social work practice and education.

Post-prison Community Reentry and African American Males: Implications for Family Therapy and Health

African American males make up a large proportion of the US male prison population. Fortunately for the African American community and society at large, many of these men will be released back into their communities and go on to become productive citizens. Scant literature exists relative to reentry programs that exist for this population. In this chapter, the authors discuss some of the issues related to prison incarceration, its effects on African American males and community reentry. Family therapy from an Afrocentric perspective is presented as an intervention designed to strengthen family cohesion once these men are re-united with their families. Further, implications for the health of former African American male inmates, their families, and the African American community are discussed. Recommendations for encouraging African American males to seek mental health and family therapy services upon release from prison are given.

Suffering in Silence: Child Sexual Molestation and the Black Church: If God Don’t Help Me Who Can I Turn To?

The invasion by another of a child’s inner self causes greater damage to the soul than perhaps any other type of abuse. Each year an estimated 90,000 children are victims of child sexual abuse. Many social institutions that are designed to help in healthy child development have failed to protect children from sexual abuse. The Black church is a major institution within the African American community that provides a plethora of supports for the community. However, it has also come under recent scrutiny for its failure to protect its children from sexual predators from within. The authors of this article discuss the role of the Black church, give theories to explain child sexual molestation, and make recommendations to church leaders and others for prevention and intervention of this problem. Implications for churches, human service providers, and research are also discussed.

Protesting Black Inequality: A Commentary on the Civil Rights Movement and Black Lives Matter

ABSTRACT Using the theoretical scaffold of the relative deprivation theory, we present a commentary that delineates: (a) the 4 stages of social movements (e.g., emergence, coalescence, bureaucratization, and decline) and (b) sociopolitical and ethno-generational leadership, networks, narratives and tactics of the Civil Rights Movement compared with the Black Lives Matter. We provide a commentary on the 2 social movements’ precipitating events during the emergence and coalescence stages. Also, the social-psychological pressures of mainstream social justice protest during the bureaucratization and decline stages are explored to highlight the emotional toil that threaten social movements and the lives of its leaders.

Beyond the Myth: Addressing Suicide Among African American Males

Historically, African Americans were never considered at risk for suicide; however, in the last 20–30 years there has been a precipitous increase in the number of suicides and suicide attempts among African American males. The authors of this chapter provide an overview of the literature surrounding suicide and African American males. Furthermore, a number of preventative measures are investigated, such as community building strategies, mentorship, and support groups. Lastly, the implications that suicide has on African American males, as well as their families and communities are also explored in detail.