Community Engagement, 2007-2008

Asian American Mental Health Needs Assessment

Sponsor Dr. Monit Cheung, Dr. Patrick Leung
# of Students 3 Doctoral and 6 MSW Students
Description In 2001, Dr. Patrick Leung and Dr. Monit Cheung designed and conducted a needs assessment survey entitled “The Mental Health Needs of Asian Americans.” Its purpose is to identify the prevalence rates of social and mental health needs of Asian American communities in the greater Houston area. This same survey with additional questions on depression has been administered in 2007 and 2008 in various Asian communities (Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, Korean, Filipino, Japanese, Nepal, Cambodian and Pakistani) to identify whether their needs, concerns and perceptions about social/mental health services have changed since 2001. We are in the final stage of data collection and will present our findings in major social work conferences later this year. Additionally, manuscripts will be submitted to social work journals for publication consideration.

"Choosing an academic major and future career"

Sponsor Dr. Monit Cheung
# of Students 1 Doctoral and 2 MSW Students
Description Invited by the Ascension Chinese Mission, Dr. Monit Cheung presented a workshop on behalf of the University of Houston on 11/17/07 regarding choosing an academic major and future career. This project involved 20 young adults in the community to share their career development after graduating from college. Ada Cheung was the Mistress of Ceremony and Annie Chan assisted in the preparation process. When Dr. Cheung talked with the parents, Agnes Ho hosted a group of high school students to describe social work studies and her career development. About 100 parents and their children attended this event. An information booth was manned by a staff person from the UH Admissions Office to explain the UH admissions process to both parents and their high school children. At the end of the event, parents lined up to consult with us regarding their children's career development.

David M. Underwood Chapter of American Humanics

Sponsor Lori Godwin and Margaret O'Donnell, MSW
# of Students Approximately 150 per semester
Description American Humanics works in partnership with area social service agencies in preparing individuals for careers in the non-profit sector. Students provide and participate in a number of volunteer projects throughout the year in addition to their certificate internship requirement.

Freedman's Town Project

Sponsor Dr. Andy Achenbaum
# of Students 5 Students
Description To fulfill course assignments for SOCW 7314-13838, Historical Research seminar, during the fall 2007 term, I invited 5 students to collect oral histories from elders living in Freedman's Town, the oldest remaining African American community in Houston. They worked with Lenwood Johnson, who has fought to preserve the area, and reported to me. They recounted their experiences to their classmates, prompting two to volunteer their services this spring.

"Groupwork with Alzheimer's Association Houston and Southeast Texas Chapter"

Sponsor Dr. Ellen Stevens-Roseman
# of Students 2 Students
Description Two graduate social work students provided voluntary service, totaling 24 clock hours, working with professional staff members to serve clients living with dementia and their family members. Groupwork services were provided in collaboration with professional leadership of these groups.

HOMES-Student Run Homeless Clinic

Sponsor Dr. Patrick Leung
# of Students 4 MSW Students Currently
Description Houston Outreach Medicine, Education, and Social Services (HOMES) is a multi-institutional, multi-discipline, student-run free clinic serving the homeless of Houston. Founded in 2000 as an outgrowth of Dr. Steven Applewhite’s macro practice class, in concert with Baylor College of Medicine, HOMES collaborates with community organizations to provide healthcare and social services to the homeless, while providing a unique learning experience for students from a variety of different disciplines. Professor Patrick Leung is the liaison person from GCSW. The clinic is held at the Cathedral Clinic located downtown and has four exam rooms, a pharmacy, and several counseling rooms.

Mediation observation and evaluation

Sponsor Dr. Susan Robbins
# of Students 18-20 per Year
Description Students taking SOCW 7374, Mediation for Social Workers, are required to observe a minimum of 1 mediation conducted by the Dispute Resolution Center (DRC) of Harris County. These mediations take place at the DRC or one of several Justice of the Peace Courts affiliated with the DRC. Students prepare a structured paper evaluating the mediation that they observed and a copy of this evaluation is provided to the director of the DRC to assist the agency in assessing the skills that are needed for continuing education of their mediators. In addition, upon completion of the class, students are eligible to become volunteer mediators at the DRC.

"Older Workers As Mentors"

Sponsor Dr. Ellen Stevens-Roseman
# of Students 1 Doctoral Student and 1 MSW Student
Description Two GCSW students collaborated with community service agency, with GCSW faculty member as Principal Investigator, to advance research on "the older worker role" and "quality of later life." Based on survey findings, a mentorship intervention - implemented through experimental design - is being evaluated for its impact on life satisfaction and workplace retention.

PeaceJam

Sponsor Jamie Parker, MSW
# of Students 25-30 University of Houston Students and 200 High-School Students
Description PeaceJam provides a unique program to create a new generation of young leaders committed to positive changes in themselves, their communities, and the world through the inspiration and of and involvement with a Nobel Peace Laureate. Sponsors volunteer training and support, two annual programs (PeaceJam Weekend and half-day PeaceSlam), and educational curricula offered in small groups.

Project Graduation 2007

Sponsor Ann Liberman, MSW, and GCSW Alumni Association
# of Students 17 Alumni and Students
Description Working with Jefferson Davis High School in First Ward, a group of approximately 200 Houstonians together visited high-risk freshman homes encouraging them to complete High School and if agreed, the students were offered College Scholarships!  GCSW alumni and students joined community members and encouraged outreach to hundreds of students that will benefit from a mentor program to educate them about higher learning.  Participating students are provided with peer support, annual follow-up and financial support for College.

Community Development, Required 1st year course

Sponsor Dr. Steven Applewhite
# of Students 85 MSW Students per Year
Description Students taking SOCW 6336-Community Development are required to conduct a community needs assessment and develop an intervention plan to be delivered on-site in the community. The community assessments are done in collaboration with community-based social service agencies or grass roots associations and community residents. The intervention plan is developed in concert with the neighborhood or agency based on identified problem areas or issues. The final task is the implementation of the intervention plan. An example of a grass roots project was the implementation of a health fair in Houston’s 4th ward to address the lack of health related information and services in the community. An example of an institutional partnership occurred In Houston’s 2nd Ward a program was created with the Rusk Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization to establish, enhance, and increase communication between the school’s teachers, its administration, and the parents/caretakers of the school’s children; in addition, the project created the Houston CARE (Community and Rusk Elementary) Coalition to establish a forum where ideas and communications care exchanged. An example of a social agency-based intervention is a project created a five-month public awareness campaign that focused on the intellectual and developmental disabilities. The project was developed and implemented in collaboration with the Houston Mental Retardation Needs Council.

“Train-the-trainer Certificate Program in Child Protection Special Investigation”

Sponsor Dr. Monit Cheung
# of Students N/A
Description

The train-the-trainer program is a joint community project between GCSW and the Hong Kong Government. Our institutional partners are the Police Force and the Social Welfare Department. The Director of the GCSW Office of Community Projects (OCP) monitors the progress and evaluation and Professor Monit Cheung is the faculty trainer.

The goals of this train-the-trainer (TTT) program are to: a) deliver a body of knowledge on child abuse special investigation, video-recorded interviews (VRI), presentation and critiquing skills; and b) certify professionals in Hong Kong as qualified trainers in the area of VRI forensic interviews with a special emphasis on interdisciplinary child sexual abuse investigations. The TTT was delivered three times in 2001, 2003 and 2007. A total of 18 trainers received the TTT certificates and conducted VRI training programs in Hong Kong. Certificates are renewable every three years based on the trainers’ training record. Twelve trainers have renewed their certificates in 2007. Certificate and training fees are placed under the OCP budget to hire graduate students to conduct child welfare research.

The 24th National Social Welfare Action Alliance Conference and Meeting

Sponsor Dr. Susan Robbins
# of Students 15 MSW and Doctoral Students as Volunteers or Presenters
Description The themes of this year's national conference held at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work were Katrina Recovery, Immigration and Social Activism. The 2 and 1/2 day conference featured 75 sessions with over 115 presenters from academia and community based groups, nationally and locally. In addition to the formal sessions, the conference included formal tours of Houston's  historic Freedmen's Town and Project Row Houses. GCSW student volunteers were instrumental in organizing and managing the conference logistics and community tours.