Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare

2024 Men of Color in Social Work Summit: Our Power
FREE conference
The 2024 Men of Color in Social Work Summit is a dedicated moment of gathering to celebrate, empower, and explore the identity-based needs of men of color in social work in their educational and career stages within the social work profession.

The Summit is your opportunity to connect, celebrate, and be empowered by exploring the identity-based needs of men of color in their educational and career stages within the social work profession.

EVENT DETAILS
Date: Saturday, August 24
Time: 9:30 AM - 4 PM
Location: 1 Washington Square North, New York, NY

This event is free to attend and there is no cost to participate. Meals and refreshments will be provided throughout the day. Attendees will also receive exclusive branded items.

Learn more and register here: https://t.e2ma.net/webview/ptneqr/69e7dd7deef99a3524d7b61ddb72c254

Congratulations Doris Minder and Natasha Cruz, MSW Students Awarded Scholarships from Latino Social Work Coalition

Doris Minder and Natasha Cruz were awarded financial scholarships from the for their service to underserved communities. The scholarships are awarded to Latino students who are dedicated to strengthening the pipeline of Latino and bilingual social workers working with low-income and underserved communities. The financial scholarship also provides mentorship fostering professional growth and valuable networking connections.

SSW is proud of our students who are creating meaningful and sustainable change within their communities!
To learn more about the scholarship program, visit: https://www.latinosocialworkcoalitionandscholarshipfundinc.com/scholarships

There is a lot happening at SSW! Read all about it in the summer edition of the SSW Weekly Update!
https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/SSW-Weekly-Update---8-6-24---Summer-Edition.html?soid=1125062963401&aid=cMjv8wkHRnw

SSW-Weekly Update Summer Edition 8-6-24

The Grand Challenge to Eradicate Social Isolation
co-authored by Melissa Bessaha, PhD, LMSW, MA, Associate Professor

A Must Read for those who champion "social progress powered by science"!

The Grand Challenges for Social Work was launched by the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare in 2016 to harness the ingenuity, expertise, dedication, and creativity of individuals and organizations within the field of social work and beyond to champion “social progress powered by science.”
These briefs can be helpful tools to focus policy advocacy and communicate about solutions with various stakeholders. Please share!

Read the full 2024 Policy Recommendations for Meeting the Grand Challenges for Social Work.
https://bit.ly/2024PolicyBriefs

Grand Challenges for Social Work

New Article Published
Miguel Muñoz-Laboy, DrPH, Professor; along with colleagues:
Medical-Legal Partnerships: a promising approach for addressing health-harming legal needs among people with HIV

People with HIV (PWH), particularly those at the intersection of sexual and gender identities, face enduring obstacles to accessing HIV care, including structural stigma, structural racism and discrimination, housing instability, and limited access to health insurance.

Access article here: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sociology/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2024.1422783/full

SSW News!
Dina Pilgrim, LMSW, Appointed Interim Assistant Dean for Practicum Education

We are excited to announce that Dina will step into this role with the departure of Warren Graham. She brings an enormous amount of experience and expertise and has made pivotal contributions in her current role as Assistant Director of Practicum Education.
Dina joined the SSW in 2013 as a Clinical Assistant Professor, serving in the role of Field Education Coordinator. In 2018, she was appointed as Assistant Director for Field Education, and was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor in 2023. Dina graduated with her MSW from NYU in 2000, and is currently pursuing her DSW in the University of Buffalo's Online program, with an anticipated completion date in 2025. In addition to her work in practicum education at SBU and in other schools prior, Dina's social work practice experience is rich and extensive, spanning over 20 years, and a variety of roles and settings. Previously she served as Director of Social Work at the Urban Justice Center/Domestic Violence Project for 12 years, and she has also provided direct services to diverse populations of individuals, families, and groups across the lifespan, and in a variety of practice settings including, early intervention programming with children and families, case management and counseling for children, families, and foster parents, counseling services for older adults and people with disabilities, and forensic social work with court-involved families, to name some.

Dina's contributions to the SSW and to the social work profession have significant reach and depth of impact.

School of Social Welfare Receives $2M Award Through New York’s Opioid Settlement Fund. Funding Supports the Addiction Workforce

Read the full story here: https://news.stonybrook.edu/university/school-of-social-welfare-receives-2m-award-through-new-yorks-opioid-settlement-fund/

Tuition reimbursement/Funding Opportunity for MSW students with an interest in the field of Addiction- who will be in a Practicum Placement this fall semester.
For more information please contact: [email protected]

DID YOU KNOW? NYS Licensed Social Worker Loan Forgiveness (LSWLF) Program
Deadline is August 16, 2024. Learn more and apply here: https://hesc.ny.gov/find-aid-you-need/new-york-state-loan-forgiveness-programs/nys-licensed-social-worker-loan/

Happy LGBTQ+ Pride Month!
Attention SSW Alumni!

Stony Brook Medicine is excited to launch a new LGBTQ+ Alumni Group. This new group will focus on ways to support our LGBTQ+ students and advance LGBTQ+ healthcare, education, research and community outreach.

If you are an LGBTQ+ alumna of one of our Health Sciences schools — Medicine, Dental, Health Professions, Nursing and Social Welfare, or the Program in Public Health, please join our new Stony Brook Medicine LGBTQ+ Alumni Group by using the following link:
https://alumniandfriends.stonybrook.edu/site/SSurvey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=7681

Just published!
Youth participation in substance use prevention: A national profile, 2011–2019,
co-authored by Melissa Bessaha, PhD, LMSW, MA, SSW Associate Professor and Miguel Muñoz-Laboy, DrPH, MPH, SSW Professor, et.al under direction of Dr. Wenhua Lu, Assistant Medical Professor in the Department of Community Health and Social Medicine, CUNY School of Medicine
Access full article:
https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1jISFKt2qA9a8

Today, we celebrate Juneteenth. This day is a powerful reminder of freedom, resilience, and the ongoing journey toward equality.
Wishing you a meaningful and joyous Juneteenth!

Free conference!
Register: https://forms.gle/VUgufDxgjQQeZ3Su6
Learn more: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A00bfded1-d3f8-4bad-8e87-cf8da32aac66

For additional info: 631-512-4228

Celebrate the 4th annual Pride Month event with and the Suffolk County Farm!
All are welcome to join us for family-friendly fun with wagon rides, crafts, animal experiences, music and more! As always, supportive resources will be available at the Stony Brook Medicine resource table.

School of Social Welfare Hosts Conference for Long Island School Social Workers Focused on Working with Latine/x Students & Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools

Earlier last month the School of Social Welfare welcomed more than 170 social workers representing public and private schools in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

The inaugural event hosted on the campus was organized by Robin DeLuca-Acconi, Ph.D, LCSW, Clinical Associate Professor, and Director of the School Social Work Workforce Development, Programs & Partnerships, School of Social Welfare, was co-sponsored with NYS School Social Worker’s Association (https://nyssswa.org/).

The conference was an opportunity for school social workers to network and share innovative resources, intervention strategies and best practices focused on issues and skills critical to school social workers. Dr. DeLuca-Acconi along with Anna I. Coward, Ph.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, presented on Working with Latine/x, Undocumented Students/Strategies for Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools.

“When I was a school social worker, I was the only social worker in the school and often felt isolated. I developed this conference as a way to create a sense of community amongst school social workers throughout Long Island. There was so much compassion, wisdom and dedication in the room, it was very inspiring to see the networking. We welcomed many of our alumni. This will be an annual event where school social workers continue to connect with one another and share their expertise”, said Dr. DeLuca-Acconi.

“The conference was an amazing opportunity to see firsthand the immense passion, knowledge, and compassion of school social workers. It was a privilege to meet so many inspiring people working tirelessly for our kids. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn together about the experiences of immigrant kids and to explore ways in which we can continue to work towards better care for our communities”, said Dr. Coward.

Just 2 weeks ago we gathered to celebrate the retirements
of our very dear and wonderful colleagues Drs. Carolyn Peabody and
Charlie Robbins. Carolyn and Charlie contributed
immeasurably to the social work profession, to the School of Social
Welfare, to our students, and to our community over the course of their
over 35 years at Stony Brook. As a result of their work, countless lives are transformed because of their dedication to the
important task of educating and caring for the next generation of social
workers, and their shared passion for social justice, transformational
change, and human rights for all. They each leave everlasting marks and legacies in their unique ways at the School of Social Welfare!

Just a few short weeks ago more than 250 students graduated from SSW! A milestone achieved and a dream realized! Check out this slideshow that captures the energy of graduation day:
https://video214.com/play/5HD1iwVtJkRFEi936obuXg/s/dark

2 days away!

Congratulations Robin DeLuca-Acconi, PhD, LCSW, Clinical Associate Professor, Recipient of the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching and & Suzanne L. Velázquez, PhD, LCSW, Clinical Professor & Director of the Undergraduate Program recipient of the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service.
The Chancellor's Awards for Excellence are conferred to acknowledge recognition for consistently superior professional achievement and to encourage the ongoing pursuit of excellence.

https://news.stonybrook.edu/university/suny-chancellors-awards-for-excellence-honor-24-sbu-faculty-and-staff/

Special Call for Student Presentations!

SSW students are encouraged to submit a proposal for the student poster presentation forum at the 2024 NYSSWEA conference.

NYSSWEA values student presentations and participation! For BSW students, this is a great opportunity to network with peers in graduate programs; for MSW students, it is an opportunity to sharpen their presentation skills; and for doctoral students, it is an excellent opportunity to start presenting the work in their portfolio and networking for open positions. Students have the opportunity to present their work on a poster with a short oral presentation.

For any questions about the student presentations, please contact Elaine Congress at congress@fordham@edu or Joanna Suppa at [email protected]

Tonight!

Deadline: TOMORROW! Nominate yourself or someone you think would be a great fit. Nomination form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10Rmnty9RPxb9fyhKRWfxOeJnYV9bDkkxrA15bzaB4jw/viewform?edit_requested=true

Happening tomorrow!
Learn about available LGBTQ* health services, programs and resources for all ages.
Join us in celebrating Pride Month and Edie Windsor's landmark victory for marriage equality.

Three newly graduated SSW Master of Social Work students were accepted to the 2024-2026 New York State Excelsior Fellowship Cohort! Congratulations to Kayla Berretta, MSW '2024, Antonia Bruno, MSW '2024, and Estee Sigal, MSW '2024! The NYS Excelsior Service Fellowship is an initiative that brings highly talented recent graduates of professional and graduate schools into government service.

While an SSW student, Antonia specialized in Families, Youth, and Transition to Adulthood. She was placed at the New York State Library and the Office of Cultural Education in Albany for her fellowship. She will utilize the skills she gained as a social service advocate at Lindenhurst Library. She will transition from a direct service position to macro work by initiating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training across New York State Libraries through research and outreach. Congratulations to her exciting next steps!

While an SSW student, Kayla specialized in Community, Policy, and Political Social Action (CPPSA). She was placed at the Office of Employee Relations in Albany for her fellowship, where she will be a fellow in the Workforce and Organizational Development Unit. She will utilize the skills she gained in macro work, including advocacy, and policy work in the recovery community, for the Long Island Recovery Association. She will transition to another type of macro role with the Workforce and Organizational Development Unit, focusing on creating training webinars for NYS employees.

Estee specialized in Community, Policy, and Political Social Action (CPPSA) while an SSW student. She was placed in the Office of Children and Family Services, in the Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth. She will utilize the skills she has gained as a macro social worker, including advocacy and policy change that she has learned throughout her time here. She will transition from a focus on local policies that she has had with Long Island Strong Schools Alliance (LISSA), to focusing on statewide policies and procedures across the NYS juvenile justice system.
(photos: Antonia pictured in graduation regalia;Kayla, Estee).

CONGRATULATIONS! SSW is thrilled for the many opportunities of this Fellowship and we look forward to hearing about your journey in social work!

Congratulation Sila Gecir, MSW, '24, Recipient of Excellence in Teamwork Award, SBU Career Center

"I was nominated by my supervisor at the Career Center, Marie Parziale, who is also an MSW graduate from Stony Brook! Honestly, her holistic and positive mentoring is what allowed me to test my limits, learn new skills, and be an effective member of the SBU Career Center Team. I co-launched a new platform under Marie's guidance called Stony Brook Mentor Connect and assisted with its first pilot mentoring program for the platform. One of my favorite memories working at the Career Center was creating the winter project for the Student Affairs Holiday Decorating Contests where we created the "Walking in a Wolfie Wonderland" art stand as a team and winning it!
Sila's motto:
..."Just try. Every interest, hobby, skill, or idea that you pour into, successful or not, leads back into you. That kind of love, no matter how fleeting, is never wasted. " - ~Sila Gecir

Congratulations Melissa Torregrossa, MSW '24, BSW '23

On May 17, Ms. Torregrossa graduated with a Master of Social Work, with a specialization in Community Policy and Political Social Action. The following week, she was elected to the Connetquot Central School District Board of Education!

"Through my generalist years at Stony Brook University's School of Social Welfare, I was educated on the integral importance of policy on the advancement of social welfare and supporting our community’s needs. It was clear that my passion in the social work discipline was to support communities through lasting policy change and decision making, thus I chose to specialize in Community, Policy and Political Social Action in my final year of my MSW education. Through my specialization year, I was inspired to impact positive change and cultivate student and teacher success in a safe and supportive environment; something I felt I did not experience in my high school years.
While the idea of undergoing a candidacy for the board of education in my community was daunting, especially while I was working full time, was a full time student and doing my practicum placement, it was vitally important to me due to the love I have for my community and the growth of it. Despite the busy schedule, I was able to continue my candidacy and thrive in my education and work due to the immense support of the community and network that the School of Social Welfare has cultivated.
I look forward to properly representing the voices of those in my community during my time of service on the Connetquot Central School District’s Board of Education! Communities need voices to represent their needs, social workers understand community needs through a unique lens, be the social worker that strengthens their community to thrive! You will always have the support of your SSW community!" ~Melissa

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A few days away! LGBTQ Community Events
The Third Annual Hamptons Pride Parade
Sponsored by Stony Brook Southampton Hospital