The FAMCare Blog

We recently interviewed a retired social worker who spent her entire 30-year career working with addicts and alcoholics in residential treatment centers. We were seeking insight into the drug and alcohol abuse epidemic that seems to be getting worse every year. The insights she shared rang with understanding, empathy, and a double dose of common sense.

Bullying is a pervasive problem in schools across the United States. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about one-third of students aged 12-18 reported being bullied during the school year. The most common type of bullying is verbal abuse, including name-calling, teasing, and making fun of someone. Other types of bullying include physical abuse, cyberbullying, and social exclusion.

For young people, suicide is the third most common cause  of death. Suicide can be avoided, though. Young people who are thinking about suicide usually show indicators of despair. Knowing about these symptoms can help friends, family, and educators act promptly and get the aid they require. Numerous social care providers are making an effort to deal with teen mental health difficulties and raise awareness that could be the difference between life and death. Let's shine some light on the subject and determine how we can work together to prevent teen suicide.

Client agencies that labor largely out of public view on behalf of the world's refugees annually share stats with this blog that astound us every year. Americans live in a civilization ordered by the rule of law. Unless we take the time to look outside our society, we rarely notice the civil disorder that plaques millions of our fellow humans.

Whether you’ve been struggling to get a diagnosis for mysterious symptoms, or you’re simply trying to get your health back on track, you might feel frustrated by your experiences with doctors. Sometimes, it can be tough to ask for what you really need. Healthcare and social service professionals who use tools like FAMCare can have an easier time managing their patients. In the meantime, these tips can help you learn how to advocate for your own health.

Employee turnover is becoming a major problem for nonprofits. A 2021 survey by the National Council of Nonprofits of over 1,000 nonprofit organizations found that 42% of responding organizations had job openings for 20% of their positions. Almost half of those responding had more than 30% of their positions vacant.

Many who pursue social work careers are naturally compassionate with a high degree of empathy and an even higher work ethic. These are attributes that lend themselves well to working with clients and colleagues but make the need for awareness of possible burnout critical. From poverty and homelessness to mental illness and substance abuse, social workers serve our world’s most vulnerable populations but too often forget they’re vulnerable too.

While serving their country, military personnel may encounter a variety of terrifying situation. Thousands of veterans have been left scarred by their experiences, leading to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veteran's PTSD is a significant challenge and a serious issue, but many retired military personnel and their families are unaware of the diagnosis or where to seek treatment. Because PTSD has an impact on mental health and can be hidden, health professionals and other may find it difficult to assess its severity.

Let’s look at some tips and suggestions for assisting veterans and their families who are dealing with PTSD.

The title of this blog is a testimony to the noble instincts that engender the highest aspirations of America's social services community. The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 initially authorized the Health Care for the Homeless Program. (No one we polled in the past two weeks had any idea that healthcare was available to our homeless population.) In 1996, Congress combined the HCH Program with Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, and Primary Care in Public Housing under the Consolidated Health Center Program. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) provided additional resources to expand services and delivery sites.

As the COVID-19 pandemic begins to recede after killing 1,000,000 of our fellow citizens in two years, social workers who deal in public policy are asking the question, "How did our society let this deadly disease get so out of control and do so much damage?"