Shirley R. Simon

The Current State of Group Work Education in U.S. Graduate Schools of Social Work

Social work has historically recognized group work as a core practice methodology; however, group work’s prominence within the graduate curriculum has diminished over the years. This article reports the results of a national survey of accredited U.S. MSW programs’ curricular offerings in group work. The survey replicates and builds upon a 1994 Birnbaum and Auerbach study to identify changes and trends over this 20-year period. Overall, a further decline in group work curricular offerings was found. Strategies to renew and bolster commitment to group work education are offered.

Feeling Heard: A Support Group for Siblings of Children with Developmental Disabilities

Siblings are often overlooked in the provision of services to families of children with disabilities. These children also need education and support to ensure their own optimal development. Moreover, as funding and support services decrease, engaging siblings is paramount to the health and safety of children with developmental disabilities. Focusing on the observed therapeutic impact of the group process, this article describes and assesses a model for facilitating a support group for siblings of children with developmental delays. It advocates for significantly increased attention within the social work community to the needs of the sibling population.

Musical Interventions in Group Work with Chemically Dependent Populations

Group workers with varied levels of musical knowledge and skill can effectively employ musical interventions to engage clients, facilitate discussion of emotional topics, and enhance group cohesion. This article reviews the literature regarding the application of musical interventions, describes several methods for using musical interventions with the chemically dependent population, shares the experience of a generalist social worker employing musical interventions with groups of chemically dependent clients in a hospital-based treatment setting, and makes recommendations for utilizing this modality with other social work populations.

Underexplored Aspects of Group-work Education in MSW Programs

ABSTRACT Warnings about social group work’s diminished place within social work education date back to 1978. This article reports the findings of a national study exploring the state of group-work education in Council on Social Work Education accredited programs. Our 2014 publication compared study results with those of the 1994 Birnbaum and Auerbach publication. This article highlights additional findings regarding underexplored aspects of group-work education including concentrations/specializations in group work, social work faculty expertise and involvement in group-work associations, efforts to link students with professional group-work associations, continuing education opportunities in group work for field supervisors, online/hybrid group-work course offerings, links between institutional characteristics and group-work offerings, and faculty members’ perceptions of the state of group-work education.

Developing a White Anti-racism Identity: A Psycho-educational Group Model

This paper describes and assesses a seven session psycho-educational group on anti-racism identity development for White European-American undergraduate students at a midwestern U.S. university. It is predicated on the premise that Whiteness can simultaneously privilege and harm White people, and that White students have the potential to become personally invested in the challenging of systematic racism. It is also based on the idea that a group structure presents an ideal format for addressing this topic. Peer support, a safe environment, and information are requisites for facilitating personal exploration of this sensitive subject. A group model for addressing this topic is presented and assessed. Key considerations, essential elements, strengths and weaknesses, suggestions for replication and further research are discussed.

Exploring Personal and Professional Understanding of Nonmonogamous Relationships: Reflections on a Group Work–Informed Workshop

In contemporary Western society, monogamous marriage is considered the ideal, with any relationships deviating from this standard viewed as nonnormative and taboo. Yet the prevalence of nonmonogamous relationships is increasingly irrefutable. Nonmonogamy is defined as relationships or actions that deviate from the norm of a traditional two-person exclusive partnership, often designating concurrent involvement or pursuit of multiple romantic or sexual relationships. Given today’s political climate of espoused “family values,” marital legal rights, and the sanctity of the normative marriage structure, addressing nonmonogamy is risky, fraught with value-laden judgments and personal assumptions. To address this topic in a public form is in itself a risky endeavor; however that is exactly what we, three graduate students and a faculty advisor, undertook. Although sexual identity and marital status are both protected by the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics (2008), we knew that many practitioners have yet to examine their understanding or question their biases around relationship identities. The simple mention of the nonmonogamous relationships to social work colleagues frequently elicited awkward pauses and a sense of discomfort, as well as narratives of personal pain from nonconsensual infidelity (cheating) and fear of domestic abuse or power imbalances under polygamy. It was the need to confront this discomfort and lack of awareness that propelled us forward to create a groupcentered workshop on this topic. Our commitment to serve vulnerable populations proved more powerful than our fears. The International Association of Social Work with Groups (IASWG) Symposium provided a space to begin this conversation. Asking social work professionals to explore their understandings and biases about topics like nonmonogamy can be challenging. We knew we needed to create a safe, nonjudgmental space, with a nondidactic, participatory environment. We began the workshop with a brief definition of nonmonogamy; invited participants to share their motivations for attending; facilitated an icebreaker exploring the concept of attraction; distributed a

Single Concentration Clinical MSW Programs: A Descriptive Study

Abstract In the last three decades a number of schools have established clinical masters of social work programs. This paper identifies and reviews the existing single concentration clinical MSW programs in the U.S. Utilizing published program data, content analysis of descriptive program promotional materials and telephone interviews, single concentration clinical programs were examined along institutional, historical, structural, student and faculty dimensions. Comparisons between single concentration clinical programs and multi-concentration programs are also drawn. Findings are discussed within the context of current trends in social work education.Abstract In the last three decades a number of schools have established clinical masters of social work programs. This paper identifies and reviews the existing single concentration clinical MSW programs in the U.S. Utilizing published program data, content analysis of descriptive program promotional materials and telephone interviews, single concentration clinical programs were examined along institutional, historical, structural, student and faculty dimensions. Comparisons between single concentration clinical programs and multi-concentration programs are also drawn. Findings are discussed within the context of current trends in social work education.

The Role of Alumni in Baccalaureate Social Work Education

This article discusses the results of a 1993 national survey of undergraduate social work program directors on the role of alumni in their programs. Respondents indicated that they involved alumni,...