Did you know that according to statistics, around one billion individuals worldwide suffer from mental health illnesses? Unfortunately, these figures are rising by the day. Such alarming statistics highlight the growing need for mental healthcare professionals to increase their efficacy and improve mental healthcare.  Let's look at some suggestions that can help mental healthcare providers improve the quality of their services.  

Steve Jobs famously said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” We are only now beginning to understand to what degree the digital revolution that he inspired has changed the world.

Are you a nonprofit looking to raise awareness for a cause you support? Maintaining awareness of the cause you support is crucial for securing donations and attracting volunteers if you run a nonprofit organization. So, if you want to promote awareness for a cause, here are the best things you can do to succeed! Five of the most ingenious techniques to raise awareness of your organization's cause are listed below.

During the COVID pandemic social workers became concerned with the country’s mental health, especially the teenage population. They initiated a new (988) mental health crisis hotline and immediately began to receive significantly more calls in August 2022 than they had received in August 2021 on the old 10-digit suicide prevention line it replaced. The 988 number received 216,000 calls in August 2022, compared with 141,400 calls to the old number in August 2021. The new crisis line also received 39,900 texts, compared with 3,400 to the old crisis line.

What is Ageism? Respecting Your Elders

Did you know that according to WHO research findings, one in every two people worldwide is ageist against older individuals? Ageism is widespread in our societies, impacting individuals of all ages, from children to the elderly. However, statistics demonstrate that ageism disproportionately affects elderly individuals compared to the younger population.

Nonprofits are formed upon the idea that a certain segment of the population needs support. Brilliant ideas of how to make a difference is at the heart.  Soon enough in providing these services the need for collecting and managing large amounts of data becomes evident.  This data and its management are a vital aspect of the survival and success of an agency.  The large amount of data required from agencies to meet requirements and provide services would surprise most people. Then let's not forget to factor in donor and grant management.  

Phishing attempts have become a rising concern for organizations in recent years, with examples of stolen identities, credit card numbers, and sensitive information increasing on a regular basis. To compound the problem, phishing assaults will continue to be the most popular method of cyber-attack in 2023, necessitating organizations immersing themselves in the world of phishing in order to understand common phishing attacks and how to prevent them.

This is also a concern for organizations in the social services sector. Unfortunately, the fact that they work with vulnerable populations does not preclude them from these in dishonest attacks.

“Title 42, the policy that allowed the government to quickly turn away certain migrants at the border during the Covid-19 pandemic, is set to expire. Encounters between US border agents and undocumented immigrants had fallen early this year but have recently increased to around 7,000 per day. That number is expected to rise dramatically this week as border towns in northern Mexico are already bursting with an estimated 36,000 migrants waiting for the end of Title 42.” (CNN, May 8,2023).

Social media presence is an important factor that is directly tied to the success of a social service agency. It enables social service agencies to spread the word about their existence, raise awareness about their initiatives, and attract more individuals to donate and volunteer with them. 

Therefore, boosting social media presence should always be a top priority for a social service agency.

Below are a few expert tips to help boost your social service agency’s social media presence. Enjoy! 

Readers of this blog from outside the professional social work community contact us from time to time and ask what they can do to help. We asked 12 social workers what they would suggest, and the consensus was:

“Visit older adults in your neighborhood or residents at a local nursing home or assisted living facility and share the kindness of a personal connection.”