997-01-2001 Advocate Spring

Transcription

997-01-2001 Advocate Spring
Volume␣ 26,␣ Issue␣ 1,␣ Spring␣ 2001
THE
Alberta College
of Social Workers
ADVOCATE
Year
in review
2000
Annual Reports
from the ACSW executive,
special interest groups,
and committees
Annual
Report
from the
President
National
Social Work
Week
“Dear
Diary…”
A day in
the life…
Page 22
Page 26
Page 5
Page 6
See us online at www.acsw.ab.ca
“Two heads
are better
than one”
Page 28
■ CONTENTS ■
COVER STORY
Year 2000 in review ................................................ ACSW Annual Reports ......................... 6-22
FEATURES
“A piece of cake!” .................................................. Leslie MacKinnon .................................. 24
Social Work Education ............................................. Derryn Yeomans .................................... 25
“Dear Diary…” ....................................................... Heather Moon ...................................... 26
The Advocate
Volume 26, Issue 1
SPRING 2001
Published by
The Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW)
#550, 10707 - 100 Avenue
Edmonton AB T5J 3M1
Phone: (780) 421-1167
Toll-free in Alberta:
1-800-661-3089
Fax: (780) 421-1168
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: www.acsw.ab.ca
“What’s happened to the ‘social’
in our social work profession?” ............................ Diane E. Charles ................................... 28
Executive Director & Registrar:
Rod Adachi, MSW, RSW
[email protected]
A day in the life… ................................................ Hazel Sangster ..................................... 30
Associate Registrar:
Alison MacDonald, MSW, RSW
[email protected]
“Two heads are better than one” .............................. Hazel Sangster ..................................... 32
ANNUAL REPORTS
President .............................................................. Jake Kuiken ........................................... 6
Executive Director & Registrar .................................. Rod Adachi ............................................ 8
Professional Affairs ................................................. Elaine Paras ........................................... 9
Associate Registrar ................................................. Alison MacDonald ................................. 10
Administrative Staff ................................................ Gladys Smecko ..................................... 11
Treasurer ............................................................... Richard Shelson .................................... 12
Auditors ................................................................ Kouri, Berezan, Heinrichs, C.A. ............... 13
Registration Committee ........................................... Bill Cunes ............................................ 18
Practice Review Board ............................................. Ermine Cummings ................................. 19
Private Practice Committee ...................................... Audrey Ferber ....................................... 19
Children’s Issues Committee ..................................... Arnold Thiessen .................................... 20
Canadian Association of Social Workers ...................... Margot Herbert ..................................... 20
Communications Committee ..................................... Al Hagan ............................................. 21
Social Workers in Heath Special Interest Group ........... Sharlene Craig ...................................... 22
Social Workers & Computers Special Interest Group ...... Steve Natran & John Long ..................... 22
IN THE NEWS
“The Ties That Bind” ............................................... AGM and Conference update ..................... 3
Discipline Committee Announcement ......................... Alison MacDonald ................................... 3
National Social Work Week ....................................... Year of the Volunteer .............................. 5
Celebration: 40 years of social work practice at U of A Hospital .................................................. 5
IN EVERY ISSUE
Updates ................................................................ Grandparenting ...................................... 4
News From the Faculty ............................................ Elaine Eskow ........................................ 23
Review: Remembering Honey ..................................... Elaine Hogg ......................................... 34
Review: Family Group Conferencing ............................ Butch Nutter ........................................ 35
For Your Information ......................................................................................................... 36
New Registrants ..................................................... as at January 19, 2001 .......................... 40
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Spring␣ 2001
Professional Affairs:
Elaine Paras, MSW, RSW
[email protected]
Finance and Administration:
Gladys Smecko
Membership Services:
Brenda Gross
Monica Vasconez
Administrative Secretary:
Florence Reinhardt
The Advocate is published quarterly for members
of the Alberta College of Social Workers and other
interested parties.
Editorial Board
Papiya Das, MSW, RSW (Chair)
Duane Burton, BSW, MEd, RSW
Erin Gray, MSW, RSW
Bill Kirwin, PhD, RSW
Trudy Lundvall, SW Diploma, RSW
Leslie MacKinnon, BSW, RSW
Editor
Hazel Sangster
Production Editor
Jena Snyder
Typesetting & Design
Clear Lake Ltd.
Advertising space is available. Advocate rates are
$400 per full page. Please call the ACSW office for
details, or to place an ad. The Editorial Board
reserves the right to reject any advertising.
SUMMER 2001 ISSUE DEADLINE: APRIL 15, 2001
Canadian subscriptions are $24 per year
(Outside Canada: $24US per year)
Canadian Mail Product Sales Agreement No.
0528803
ISSN 0847 - 2890
Please notify the ACSW office immediately of any
address changes.
© 2001 Alberta College of Social Workers.
All rights reserved.
■ IN THE NEWS ■
The Ties That Bind:
Excellence In Social Work Practice
DON’T MISS ACSW’s Annual General Meeting and Conference
in Calgary, March 15-17, 2001
Join us to explore state of the art practices and innovative ideas in all
areas of social work through presentations, workshops and networking.
Headlining the conference Thursday evening: “Learn the Secrets of
Getting to the Heart of the Matter—Interviewing 101” with
Pamela Wallin, broadcaster and journalist. Other keynote speakers
include:
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Dr. Carlton Munson, Clinical Practice Researcher & Scholar — “Supervision in a World of Economic Restructuring”
Dr. Peggy Rodway, Clinical Practice Specialist and Mentor — “Companions on the Road Less Traveled—Social Work
and Spirituality”
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Dr. Lynn McDonald, Social Sciences Philosopher and Researcher — “Knowing the Many Ways of Knowing and Why It
■
Dr. Howard Rainer, Aboriginal Trainer and Advocate — “How to Empower With Your Power”
Matters”
In addition, you can hear a wide range of your colleagues
share their best practices, watch a special unveiling at the
annual general meeting, relax at a sumptuous buffet banquet,
get more information about Continuing Competence and the
ACSW in general, network with special interest groups, and
share the wisdom of social work elders, not to mention hanging out in the hospitality room and taking time to browse
through agency and book displays.
Join us for good ideas, good times, good food and a
real Calgary welcome to everyone—
members, nonmembers, and students.
For more information, contact ACSW:
(780) 421-1167 or 1-800-661-3089
Email: [email protected]
NOTE: Check the ACSW website (www.acsw.ab.ca) for clarification and further updates.
The Advocate Editorial Policy
The Advocate seeks to serve as a “meeting place” for Alberta social
workers by publishing information about social work research, theory,
practice and education; professional affairs; social issues; the work
of the College; books, journals and other media of interest to social
workers; continuing education and job opportunities; and the comings
and goings of Alberta social workers. Submissions from members and
the public are welcome (750-1000 words max.): stories, poetry,
anecdotes, thoughts and ideas. Letters to the editors (250 words
max.), cartoons, artwork, pictures and announcements are welcome.
The Editorial Board reserves the right to edit submitted material.
Please call the ACSW office for a copy of “Writing for The Advocate”
before submitting any material, especially before sending a disk or
e-mailing your submission. Publication does not imply endorsement
by the College. The Advocate is published four times a year: deadline
is JANUARY 15 for SPRING (March publication), APRIL 15 for SUMMER
(June), JULY 15 for FALL (September), and OCTOBER 15 for WINTER
(December).
ALL SUBMISSIONS:
The Advocate, ACSW, #550, 10707 - 100 Ave, Edmonton, AB T5J 3M1,
ATTN: Elaine Paras. E-MAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: (780) 421-1167 • FAX: (780) 421-1168
Discipline Committee and
Investigatigator Training
The ACSW will be conducting Discipline Committee
and Investigator training within the next few
months. Any Registered Social Worker who is interested
in participating or who would like more information should
contact Alison MacDonald at the ACSW office.
The ACSW is committed to the principles of diversity in the
composition of its committees. The selection process will
include consideration of factors such as gender, urban/
rural, credentials, cultural factors, public/private sector,
area of practice, etc. ■
Spring␣ 2001
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■ UPDATE ■
The staff at the ACSW office
Grandparenting update
have put in an extra effort
over the past several months
to process the 1569
grandparenting applications
that were received by the
A
dditional training required
As all members should be aware, one of the legal requirements for those who
grandparented into the profession is the completion of “additional training” in social
work ethics and standards of practice within two years of being granted RSW status.
This requirement is specified within the amendment to the Social Work Profession
Act and there are no exemptions.
deadline. As of January 15,
2001, the disposition was as
follows:
■
900 applications were
Brenda Gross, Membership
Services, with some of the 1569
grandparenting applications
reviewed and approved
■
77 applicants were
given a refund (i.e.
withdrew or were not
approved)
■
3 applicants were
determined to qualify
under the normal
academic route for
registration
■
133 applications are
currently under review
■
37 applicants did not
submit the required
registration fees
The remaining applications are
still incomplete and thus
cannot be processed.
Staff from the Grant MacEwan Community College Social Work Program developed the
course Ethics and Values for Social Work with input from ACSW staff, Council and volunteers. The course is also being administered through the GMCC Social Work Program. Course
tutors have been selected to deliver the course in various centers across the province. All
the course tutors are Registered Social Workers. Most have a history of involvement with
the ACSW, which ensures that they have current knowledge in professional regulatory
matters. Each group of students will also have one session facilitated by a staff member or
volunteer from ACSW who will further address the ethical and legal implications of being a
Registered Social Worker.
An on-line version of the course will be available in March 2001. For information about the
course, including delivery, dates and locations, please contact Denise Knowles, Program
Consultant at GMCC, at (780) 497-5168.
Timing may be critical
The first group of applicants through the grandparenting amendment will reach their twoyear limit before the end of 2001. They (and all applicants) must complete the course within
the two-year time frame or they will lose their registration status.
To facilitate planning and to ensure a quality experience for everyone, we strongly encourage applicants to register well before the end of the two-year limit. Course sections are small
(maximum 12 participants), and arrangements will be made to run the course wherever
numbers warrant and tutors are available.
Status is not provisional
A legal interpretation of the grandparenting amendment is that those who are registered
under the amendment are fully registered and have the same rights and privileges as any
other RSW. This means that once an application has been approved under the amendment,
the individual may run for Council, vote in the elections, and participate in other ACSW
activities. (The same legal interpretation clarifies that the Registrar has the right to set
conditions with regard to the qualifications required for people to write RSW reference
letters.) While grandparented RSWs do have all the rights under the law, they also have
the obligations under the law (i.e. to maintain registration, follow the Code of Ethics, etc.)
and they have the additional obligation to complete the required course within two years.
Once this course is successfully completed by grandparented RSWs, they have the high
privilege of completing reference letters. ■
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Spring␣ 2001
■ IN THE NEWS ■
National Social Work Week: March 18-24, 2001
S
ince 1991, thanks to the lobbying efforts of the Canadian Association of Social Workers
(CASW), one week in March has been designated as National Social Work Week. This year
the ACSW Council chose March 18-24, 2001, to celebrate this important milestone. They
also decided to keep in sync with CASW’s use of the United Nations 2001 theme, “The International
Year of the Volunteer.” Many of us as social workers rely heavily on the assistance of volunteers.
Therefore, we welcome the opportunity to recognize and encourage these partners in our daily work.
We request that you enthusiastically go forward with plans for Social Work Week events in
your work place and community; there is a possibility of doubling your pleasure by highlighting the vocation of social work and the valuable role of your volunteers. The Editorial
Board would like to hear what you did to celebrate; short reports and pictures are welcome
additions for the next issue of The Advocate.
The Goals of Social Work Week are:
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to increase information about the role of social workers and heighten the profile of the
profession with our colleagues and the public
to encourage organizations employing social workers, as well as schools of social work
across Alberta, to celebrate the role and contribution of social workers through the hosting
of a wide variety of events
to enhance the visibility and profile of the Alberta College of Social Workers within our
membership, our places of work and within the community
Resources available
Social Work Week immediately follows our Annual Conference. Therefore, those attending
the conference may easily pick up materials and resources for your planned events. We are
ordering a number of promotional items: some will be free, and some will have a reasonable
cost assigned. Regardless of your attendance at the Annual Conference, as an ACSW member and designate of your SW Week planning committee, please contact the office as soon
as possible so that a product listing can be forwarded
and the arrangements made for the items to be forwarded
Celebration—
to you in a timely way.
40 years of social
work practice at
U of A Hospital
During Social Work Week, all
former social work employees
of the University of Alberta
Hospital are invited to an
alumni dinner on Friday,
March 23, 2001, at 6:30 PM
in the Bernard Snell Hall.
Tickets will be $25.00 and
will include dinner and
entertainment. Inquiries of
interest are to be directed to
(780) 407-8871. ■
In addition, ACSW (via CASW) will provide letters of recognition from members of the Federal Government and
a proclamation of “Social Work Week” from the Provincial Government. ACSW has a number of Area Coordinators (please see our website, or call the office) who can
request and distribute letters of proclamation from your
local government. There is also the possibility of arranging interviews and articles with your print, radio and
other forms of media. If you do not have a ACSW Area
Coordinator nearby, please contact Elaine Paras at the
ACSW Office for assistance in planning.
We are also mindful that many of our members volunteer
outside their professional roles. Indeed, ACSW would not
function if it were not for the generous individuals who
volunteer to sit on Council and those involved with
various committees and membership interest groups—as
staff we are grateful and salute you all. Have a wonderful
Social Work Week. ■
Social Work Week Poster
This year ACSW
commissioned the above
poster as a way of
visualizing the theme of
professionals and
volunteers working
together. The poster’s use
of fingerprints visualizes
the many “hues” and ways
that we make contact with
others in our role as
professional social workers.
Conversely, we interact
with individuals, families
and groups in cooperation
with multi-skilled agency
and community volunteers.
Altogether, we make a
beautiful mosaic.
Spring␣ 2001
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■ ANNUAL REPORT—PRESIDENT ■
Annual report from the ACSW President
Jake Kuiken, MSW, RSW
T
his Annual Report is presented to the membership of the Alberta College of Social
Workers (ACSW) and to the Minister of Health and Wellness, as required by
Section 5 (3) of the Social Work Profession Act.
ACSW is the professional and regulatory body for registered social workers in Alberta. An
increase of 1,307 members in the past year has seen the total membership in all categories
reach 3,616 at December 31, 2000. With the Health Professions Act now expected to be proclaimed sometime in 2001, ACSW will likely continue to grow to exceed 4,500 members by
the end of next year. It is expected that growth will stabilize around that number in the years
ahead, particularly as the “baby boomers” begin to retire.
Jake Kuiken
ACSW President
The rapid growth resulting from the introduction of mandatory registration and grandparenting has placed extraordinary pressure on the College staff, committees and Council. In
August alone, for instance, approximately 1,000 new applications for professional registration were received. Final processing for some of these applications remains to be completed.
Because of a course-completion requirement associated with grandparenting, some attrition
is expected in the final number.
It is also important to recognize that at the same time staff and various committees were
grappling with issues related to grandparenting, they were also dealing with the complexities of establishing the criteria for the new Clinical Registry. Likewise, the introduction of
an examination for that Registry, along with responding to the daily issues that normally
arise when such a new initiative is undertaken, precipitated numerous phone calls and
meetings for staff, committees and Council members.
Also, in the same time frame, the Aboriginal Social Work Advisory Committee began its work.
The committee’s role is generally to advise Council and its committees on professional social work issues and to act as a link to the Aboriginal communities and social workers.
During all of this activity, ACSW was also actively engaged in a protracted series of discussions and negotiations with Children’s Services, Alberta Human Resources and Employment,
Alberta Alcohol and Drug Administration, Persons with Disabilities Boards, Alberta Justice, the Personnel Administration Office, and Alberta Health and Wellness to determine
the extent to which social work’s scope of practice would impact government employees. While
a great deal of the work repeated the discussions of previous years, the outcome has conclusively solidified these departments’ commitment to seeing qualified social workers engaged
in the practice of social work, registered with ACSW.
Although ACSW submitted all of the policies required for development of the regulations
under the Health Professions Act in December of 1999, the expected public consultation process for finalizing these policies into regulations will not be completed until sometime in 2001.
The one policy that has thus far offered the most challenge to Health and Wellness officials
relates to ACSW Council’s decision to authorize First Nation and Aboriginal social workers
to use the traditional practices of Aboriginal and First Nations’ communities as part of their
social work practice.
Continued on page 7
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Spring␣ 2001
■ ANNUAL REPORT—PRESIDENT ■
Annual Report from the ACSW President
Continued from page 6
After receiving a comprehensive report on a plan to promote
the profession, Council established a Communications Committee to prepare and implement a variety of strategies beginning with the work of developing a new visual image for
ACSW. The initial parts of this committee’s work will be
formally unveiled at this year’s Annual General Meeting.
In response to the resolutions passed at the March 16, 2000,
Annual General Meeting, a letter was sent to the Honourable
Ralph Klein, Premier, outlining ACSW’s concerns with a
request to withdraw Bill 11, The Health Care Protection Act.
Similarly, letters were sent to the Premier, Members of the
Provincial Cabinet and all Members of the Legislative
Assembly expressing ACSW’s concern with the fact that
welfare allowances have not been adjusted since they were
cut back in the fall of 1993.
In addition, along with numerous other organizations, ACSW
was a participant and partner in the “Healthy Incomes,
Healthy Outcomes” initiative. ACSW also actively supported
the efforts of the provincial YWCAs to lobby the provincial
government to increase welfare allowances. ACSW members
in Lethbridge took up the challenge to meet with their MLA
and spent a fall evening with the Honourable Clint Dunford,
Minister of Alberta Human Resources and Employment, outlining in very specific terms their concerns with the current
welfare allowances.
ACSW also participated in and supported the efforts of child
care professionals to develop and establish some form of a
wage enhancement program in Alberta. Child care staff in
Alberta earn just over $7.00 per hour, less than that of the
average parking lot attendant, and with a frontline staff turnover rate of more than 73%, the impact on the quality of care,
i.e., continuity of care, is significant and lasting.
As President of ACSW, I was asked by the Minister of
Children’s Services to participate on the committee that provided oversight for the study investigating the reasons for the
growth in the child welfare caseloads. Among the recommendations and strategies proposed by the report, is one which
directly relates to the AGM’s resolution on increasing welfare
allowances.
On a national scale, I had the opportunity this year again to
participate in the two annual presidents meetings, as well as
the Canadian Association of Social Workers Annual General
Meeting, held this year in conjunction with the International
Federation of Social Workers Conference in Montreal. In the
year under review, I also participated in the planning of the
first “National Social Work Forum,” to be held sometime in
the fall of 2001. I also attended the Annual General Meeting
of the Association of Social Work Boards, where The Advocate was deemed to be the most outstanding publication by a
social work regulatory body in Canada and the United States.
An issue that continues to emerge from the national scene
as well as locally is the professional title associated with college graduates. Since Ontario’s legislation has adopted the
regulated and protected title “registered social service
worker,” other provinces have suggested the possible adoption of a similar designation. The reason for creating such a
title is to provide the public with the distinction between the
competencies associated with a two-year diploma and a fouryear degree. Some may recall that in the early 1980s, the Alberta Association of Social Workers proposed a difference in
the professional title for diploma and degree holders. However, in 1991, the government enacted the diploma as an
entry standard for social work practice in Alberta without
first consulting the profession.
Social workers throughout Alberta and elsewhere
have the privileged opportunity to enter into the
lives of individuals, families, communities, groups,
and organizations in ways that few other
professions are able to do. …ACSW has the
responsibility to ensure that the public understands
what we do and is well served through competent
and ethical practice.
Much other work was undertaken by members of Council,
committees and staff. It is recorded in the following pages of
this issue of The Advocate, or has already been previously reported in the publication. The ongoing work of the College
continues to be accomplished through the work of the numerous committees of volunteers, supported by a relatively small
and highly competent staff. The hours of volunteer time spent
doing the College’s business is immeasurable, and as we move
into the United Nation’s Year of the Volunteer, we would all
do well to recognize those of our members who work very hard
for our collective good.
Social workers throughout Alberta and elsewhere have the
privileged opportunity to enter into the lives of individuals,
families, communities, groups, and organizations in ways
that few other professions are able to do. In our efforts to see
a more just and equitable access to resources and opportunities, we are provided with a unique view of the complex and
difficult circumstances in which others find themselves. As
the collegial body for this honoured profession, ACSW has the
responsibility to ensure that the public understands what we
do and is well served through competent and ethical practice.
Together we can take satisfaction and be proud of what our
profession and our colleagues are able to accomplish.
Thank you all, very much. ■
Spring␣ 2001
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■ ANNUAL REPORT—EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & REGISTRAR ■
A whirlwind year
Rod Adachi, MSW, RSW
T
he beginning of the 21st century witnessed major changes for the social work profession in Alberta. Effective July 1, 2000, the
Alberta Association of Registered Social Workers became the Alberta College of Social Workers. This name change was another
step in the process of becoming a regulated health profession under the Health Professions Act (HPA). The year 2000 will also
be remembered as a time of unparalleled growth in the numbers of registered social workers in Alberta. This significant increase was
generated by legislative requirements for mandatory registration combined with the one-time opportunity to apply for registration
under a grandparenting provision.
Membership increase
ACSW website
At the end of 2000, the ACSW had 3616 members. This is an
increase of 1307 members over 1999, a jump of 56.6%. By comparison, the annual increase in membership since 1995 averaged around 9.4%. Of the new registrants, just over half
(50.7%) were grandparented RSWs. This unprecedented increase in registrations generated a heavy workload for the
ACSW office and required hiring additional temporary support staff to help ease the burden.
The need for improved communications prompted the
development of the ACSW website in 1999. Over the past
year, the ACSW website has become an increasingly
important method of keeping members informed.
Health Professions Act
Another area of focus was the Health Professions Act (HPA).
Based on advice from the Department of Health and Wellness
that the HPA would be proclaimed for social work by the end
of 2000, the ACSW expended considerable effort to have required processes as ready as possible for implementation once
the Act was in effect. This involved substantial work from the
Registration Committee, which is in the process of developing procedures for assessing applicants with qualifications
other than social work training. Likewise, the Practice Review Board has continued to work on refining its Portfolio
Model for Continued Competency as required by the HPA.
Also, the development of a Clinical Specialty Registry under
the HPA was initiated and generated a great deal of activity
in 2000.
Aboriginal Social Work Advisory Committee
The Council of ACSW established two new governance committees in 2000. The Aboriginal Social Work Advisory Committee was created to advise Council on Aboriginal
perspectives regarding social work issues. This is in keeping
with the recognition of traditional Aboriginal practices that
Council submitted as a policy for the HPA regulations for
social work.
Communications Committee
A new Communications Committee was created to advise
Council on matters regarding promotions, public and member relations and communications. This committee reflects
activities arising from recommendations submitted by the
Enslin and Associates consulting group.
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Spring␣ 2001
ACSW activities in 2000
Throughout the year, ACSW members were able to participate in a variety of activities. In March, a very successful
annual conference was held in Edmonton, and in August, Red
Deer hosted the second Central Alberta Social Workers Summer Institute. Many Alberta social workers were among the
1900 delegates from 83 countries for the mid-summer IFSW/
IASSW international social work conference in Montreal.
In 2000, the ACSW continued to engage in a number of
collaborative activities related to social issues in Alberta.
Some of these activities included: the Provincial Voices for
Action and Change, a network of provincial associations
concerned about services to children and families; the Friends
of Medicare and its efforts to block Bill 11; the Alberta
Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, a coalition of
mental health stakeholders advocating for best practices in
mental health; and the “Healthy Incomes, Healthy Outcomes”
initiatives to increase rates for Supports for Independence.
In December, ACSW Council held a retreat to discuss
strategic planning, setting priorities and organizational
changes. Council identified three general areas of responsibility under the HPA: regulation and competence; professional affairs and social justice; and governance. Discussions
will continue on suggested structural changes to Council to
enhance its role as a governance body under the HPA.
In closing, I would like to acknowledge the contributions of
the members of ACSW Council during a time of significant
change for the social work profession. Their commitment and
dedication to work in the best interest of the profession are
commendable. Finally, I cannot properly express my
gratitude to our staff members for the outstanding effort they
display on a daily basis in performing the difficult work that
supports the ACSW and all of its activities. ■
■ ANNUAL REPORT—PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS ■
Another year of privilege
Elaine Paras, MSW, RSW
M
emories fall through my mind as leaves; in hindsight, this has been another year of privilege. Numerous meetings and
presentations for those interested in (or questioning) grandparenting and mandatory registration became more rewarding
for us when most of the attendees submitted their applications. You “got the message” that Social Work is now an accountable
profession in Alberta.
Social work pioneers
One of the highlights of this past year
was to gather together and meet some
of Alberta’s social work pioneers. They
enjoyed each other and we enjoyed getting to know them, and their stories.
We will continue to videotape some of
these pioneers and are in the process of
establishing a “Social Work Elders”
working committee. You will hear more
from these interesting folks.
Members are involved
Working with the various membership
committees and interest groups is
gratifying and encouraging because of
the energy and commitment of the
members. Read the various Annual
Reports in this issue. I think you will
agree that we have an involved membership that is committed to enhancing
their practice skills, networking for the
well-being of those they work with, and
advocating for changes in policy,
practice or priorities. My thanks go to
the active Area Coordinators, who consistently promote the work and collegial
intention of ACSW—we rely on you. I
also want to broadcast the need for
more willing individuals to act as
liaison partners in some parts of the
province.
The work completed by the past and
current Conference Planning Committees must receive high compliment; as
ACSW members we certainly are beneficiaries of outstanding speakers and
workshop presentations. I encourage
your attendance at this year’s conference, as it is chock-full of learning and
networking opportunities.
Sadly, not every committee thrived this
past year. In particular, the Social
Policy & Action Committee has been
dormant since Margaret Brown resigned as Chair. The Gerontology
“South of Sixty” Committee also folded.
We are currently looking for a committed group of individuals who will reform these Committees.
In case you missed the notice in our
December issue, I am pleased to
highlight that The Advocate received an
award for “Superior Board Newsletter
in the Interest of Protection of the Public” from the Association of Social Work
Boards at its Annual Conference this
past fall. Again, this is a collaborative
effort; many thanks go to the Editorial
Board members; Hazel Sangster,
Editor; and Jena Snyder, Production
Editor.
Long-range planning
Long-range planning is continual and
provides some sequencing distractions:
for example, planning for the 2002 Conference, to be held in Red Deer, has begun. Another chunk of time has been
devoted to working through the practical details of decisions made by the
Communications Committee; specifically, the new visual identity that will
be formally unveiled at the ACSW Annual General Meeting on March 15th.
I’ve learned that a “visual identity” is
really a promotional opportunity that is
comprised of a new logo, tag or message
line, graphics, and new colors. We’ve
also realized that every piece of identifiable paper we use has to be revised or
replaced—yikes! In reality, it’s been fun
arranging these changes.
Social Work Week
Planning for Social Work Week
engaged more time, as we commissioned a poster and are seeking new
promotional items. All this work requires the involvement of many people.
I am especially appreciative of Enslin
Associates and Kyle Loranger Designs,
our external creative consultants, and
Scott Stewart, my summer intern, who
remained available for part-time work,
and who cheerfully completes delegated
detail and keeps the news section of the
website updated. I am grateful that we
as staff have worked at becoming cohesive and thriving in what we euphemistically call a “challenging year”; we do
look forward to the time when a sense
of normality returns. In the interim,
thank you for your patience. ■
Educational
Video For Sale
Reconnecting with our History:
Alberta Pioneers in Social Work
This video provides the perspectives
of seven social work pioneers from
the proceedings of the 1997 Annual
Conference. This initiative is a
collaboration of the University of
Calgary and ACSW. The final
version is now available for sale at
$35.99 + PSH.
Please order through ACSW.
Spring␣ 2001
■
9
■ ANNUAL REPORT—ASSOCIATE REGISTRAR ■
Two people resigned from the Discipline Committee in 2000:
Dr. Heather Coleman and Jan Wiedman, who has left the
province.
Year 2000 in review
Alison MacDonald, MSW, RSW
Investigators
isciplinary Action
D
At the start of 2000, there were four open disciplinary
files. All four cases were completed and the complaints
dismissed. In one case, the complainant appealed the
decision. The Discipline Committee upheld the
dismissal.
Eight new complaint files were opened in 2000. Of these, one
was dismissed and five are still under investigation. In one
case, the decision to dismiss a complaint was appealed and
the Discipline Committee upheld the decision to dismiss. The
chart below provides a summary of the cases for the year.
Case
Number
Type of
Complaint
Decision
95.7
Unskilled Practice
Mediate
96.6
Unskilled Practice
Mediate
98.8
Unskilled practice/
Date
Concluded
Dismiss
10/24/00
99.3
Professional misconduct
Dismiss
02/22/00
99.5
Unskilled practice
Dismiss
01/10/00
99.6
Professional misconduct
Dismiss
06/01/00
00.1
Professional misconduct
Dismiss
10/24/00
00.2
Professional misconduct
Voluntary
The Legislative Committee, chaired by Marilyn Jeske, MSW,
RSW, and including Jim Thompson, Ermine Cummings, and
Joanne Morcom, met several times in 2000 to review draft
bylaws and regulations for social workers under the Health
Professions Act. The draft regulations are currently in the
final stages of development in Alberta Health. Members were
invited to provide feedback on the draft bylaws in 2000 and
a small number responded. The Legislative Committee and
Council are in the process of finalizing the bylaws now.
Meetings Attended
from practice
The National Registrar’s Meeting was held in Fredericton,
New Brunswick, in September. Issues discussed included
continuing competence, entry level competencies, discipline
processes, publication of disciplinary actions and out-of-province members.
The ASWB spring education meeting for 2000 had a focus
on impaired professionals. Richard Shelson, Elaine Spencer
and I attended this informative meeting in Bismarck, North
Dakota. Both the spring and fall ASWB meetings included
an Administrator’s Forum, which provides an opportunity for
social work regulators to discuss common issues.
A Federation of Regulated Health Professions has been established in Alberta, comprised of representatives of Colleges
which will be included under the Health Professions Act.
ACSW has been represented at all meetings of the Federation. Discussions to date have been around the development
of the legislation and regulations.
Unskilled practice
Ongoing
00.4
Professional misconduct
Settlement
agreement
00.5
Professional misconduct
Ongoing
00.6
Professional misconduct
Ongoing
00.7
Professional misconduct
Ongoing
00.8
Professional misconduct
Ongoing
Discipline Committee
The Discipline Committee continues to be chaired by Debra
Best, MSW, RSW. Continuing members of the committee, all
of whom are Registered Social Workers, are: Gary Brayton,
Neville Case,Heather Coleman, James Gripton, Susan
Mallon, Deborah Morrison, Peggy Rodway, Marilyn Smelski,
Mary Valentich, Jan Wiedman, and Marianne Wright. A
training session was held for members of the committee in
February 2000 and several new people were appointed upon
completion of the training: Terry Zibin, Ed Hall, Suzanne
Rosebrugh, David Shirley, Diane Warms, and Janis Turner.
Spring␣ 2001
A Committee of Inquiry was held in July 2000. The committee was chaired by Elaine Spencer, MSW, RSW, and included
Mary Valentich, Ed Hall, and Janis Turner. A Committee of
Inquiry is struck when a person who lost their registration
through disciplinary procedures applies to be reinstated.
Special thanks to the members of this committee who handled
a difficult task in a timely and professional manner.
withdrawal
00.3
■
Committee of Inquiry
Legislative Committee
professional misconduct
10
Training was also held for new and continuing investigators
for ACSW. The current roster of social work investigators includes: Dan Tabashniuk, Butch Nutter, Denise MilneMarentette, Doreen Smith, Bruce Llewellyn, Margo Kushner,
Jeanette McEachern, and Elaine Spencer. ACSW has also
contracted the services of John Crier to assist with one investigation.
Students
Diane Warms completed her placement hours towards her
MSW degree at the ACSW in February 2000. Diane compiled
Continued on page 11
■ ANNUAL REPORT—ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF ■
One day at a time…
Gladys Smecko
Coordinator, Finance & Administration
T
he past year has been a challenge with an ever-increasing workload, adapting to new
legislative changes, and modified (or stretched) job duties. There was a substantial
increase in the number of new registrants due to legislated mandatory registration and,
as well, the “Grandparenting” phase of our legislation that ended September 1, 2000.
Throughout the winter and spring the phone calls and mail increased drastically. In the
month of August alone we received over 1,000 new applications. Our phone never stopped
ringing and some individuals definitely “experienced” our answering machine, as there
was neither the staff nor phone lines available to handle the increased load.
In August and into September, the mail started coming in big bins directly from the post
office; it took 2 staff members at least half a day to open and sort incoming mail and faxes.
It was not until October that the boardroom was free of sorted mail. All this activity translated into a membership increase of approximately 1,300 members in 2000; furthermore,
in January 2001, we increased by another 300 members.
Associate Registrar’s Annual Report
Continued from page 10
a Precedent Book from the disciplinary actions that have
taken place in Alberta, assisted in a complaint investigation,
and assisted with the Discipline Committee and Investigator Training in February. Diane was contracted over the summer of 2000 to assist in the development of the
Self-Evaluation and Learning Plan tools for the ACSW Continuing Competence program. Congratulations to Diane on
completing her MSW requirements in December, 2000.
Enole Tapaquon was contracted over the summer of 2000
to gather input from Aboriginal social workers and social
work agencies with regard to the Continuing Competence
program. Enole assisted with other projects as well. Best
wishes to Enole as she pursues her BSW degree.
Three members of our
administrative staff,
clockwise from top left:
Gladys Smecko, Brenda Gross,
and Florence Reinhardt
To deal with all this, many overtime hours were put in and
some temporary staffing was brought in. Early in 2000 our
Administrative Secretary, Colette Miller, left and
Florence Reinhardt was hired to fill this position. Monica
Vasconez started working for us in October to assist with
membership services; she was hired as permanent staff as
of February 1, 2001. Brenda Gross, our Membership
Services Coordinator, has been with the College for 8 years
as of February: we are grateful for her knowledge and
capacity to handle stress.
Ethics Course for Grandparenting Social Workers
Other contract staff, working on a part-time basis, are Lisa
Graves and Scott Stewart. Lisa currently works
Saturdays and will do so until April. Scott was hired for the
summer as the Professional Affairs Assistant; however,he
also kindly assisted the administrative staff during August
and September by opening mail and answering calls.
ACSW staff and Council were involved in the development
of the new ethics course, which is a requirement for all RSWs
who came into the profession through the Grandparenting
Amendment. All the approved social work education programs in Alberta were invited to participate in the development of the course, but Grant MacEwan Community College
took the primary responsibility. Several students registered
for the course in the fall of 2000, and feedback to date is very
positive. ■
In this year of uncertainty and change we as staff have
adapted; we have survived. At times it has been very
stressful and overwhelming to think about the mountain of
work that had to be and still needs to be done. In 2001 we
expect even more changes and shifting job duties as we approach the changing legislation under the Health Profession
Act. Our motto—one day at a time. ■
Spring␣ 2001
■
11
■ ANNUAL REPORT—TREASURER ■
Treasurer’s 2000 Annual Report
Richard Shelson, MSW, RSW
T
he 2000 audited financial statement represents the financial situation of our ACSW. We show an excess of revenues over expenses
of just over $204,000, bringing our accumulated surplus to approximately $442,000. A Council resolution passed at the
April 24, 1998, Council meeting requires that we accumulate a surplus of $700,000 by the year 2008 and that the purpose and
levels of the fund are to be reviewed every two years. Reaching the targeted amount will require a real commitment over the next
several budget years but will pay dividends in that it would place the College on very solid ground financially.
It should be noted that our revenues were over the $1,034,200
projected in the 2000 budget process. Most of this was a result of higher revenues from application fees for Mandatory
Registration and Grandparenting than was anticipated. Also,
our expenses were under the $1,030,500 projected. This can
be attributed to lower than anticipated disciplinary costs and
to the delay in proclaiming the Health Professions Act (HPA)
which, in turn, postponed implementation costs related to this
act. Some of the revenue from 2000 will need to be reallocated to cover HPA implementation costs in 2001.
When comparing the 1999 actual expenses with the 2000
actual expenses, several things need to be considered. There
is a significant increase in wages and related costs, much of
which is accounted for by the need to hire temporary staff to
process over a thousand more applications in 2000 as compared to previous years. Some revenue was also realized from
application fees to the Clinical Registry. Advocate costs increased as a result of increased circulation combined with an
increase in the size of the journal itself. This increase will
continue into 2001 as our membership continues to grow. The
Finance Committee has proposed that those who wish to read
The Advocate on the ACSW website might do so rather than
receiving a hard copy. This is an option that could result in
cost savings through decreased mailings, need for paper, etc.
It is very important to point out that while we did indeed
realize a substantial surplus this year, the majority of this
was from one-time Application Fees (over $159,000), which
will not be repeated in future years. If the Health Professions
Act had been proclaimed this year and the grandparenting
option not been in place, we could well have found ourselves
in a deficit position, as our costs would have been significantly
higher and our revenues would have been substantially lower.
This year the Finance Committee based in Lethbridge has
been an invaluable help to me. We have just completed our
first year as a committee and have begun to wrestle with financial issues affecting the College. The committee’s role is
primarily to advise Council on a number of fiscal matters.
Members of the committee in addition to myself as chairperson are Stuart Norton, Kerry Ryan-Cox, Pat Lowell,
12
■
Spring␣ 2001
Phil Jones (all of whom are ACSW members), and
Charmaine Penner (a community member who is also an
accountant). We got a great start and I am certainly looking
forward to their help in the future.
As our accumulated surplus increases, interest will continue
to be a significant source of revenue, which will need to be
monitored. In a climate of decreasing interest rates, we do
not want to overestimate the amount expected. Our auditors
have strongly recommended that we monitor our accounts
very closely in order to maximize returns. Suggesting ways
to accomplish this will be a challenge for our new Finance
Committee.
As our membership continues to grow, it continues to be difficult to predict what our costs will be. For the 2001 Fiscal
year, we have based our estimates on a membership of 4000.
This could be out of date very quickly if the Health Professions Act is proclaimed early in the year, as mandatory registration would apply to those positions that are currently
exempted.
All in all, I believe the ACSW continues to be in stable financial shape. The money management tactics of Council as
recommended by our auditors continue to allow for a growing accumulated surplus. However, the changes required by
the expected proclamation of the Health Professions Act have
made the budgeting process for 2001 somewhat more difficult than it would ordinarily be. This situation is not unlike
that of the last several years, but there is some hope that we
will be able to look at a more stable financial pattern by the
time the 2002 budgeting process starts. The more observant
among you will note that I made exactly the same comment
last year. We have little control over the legislators and need
to make plans as best we can.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not offer my thanks to
everyone in the office for all their hard work and tremendous
help this past year. They are the voice of the College to the
majority of our members and the public, and provide an
invaluable link between the membership and Council. ■
■ ANNUAL REPORT — AUDITORS ■
Kouri Berezan Heinrichs, Chartered Accountants
To The Members Of The Alberta College of Social Workers
We have audited the statement of financial position of the Alberta College of Social Workers (formerly Alberta Association
of Registered Social Workers), as at December 31, 2000 and the statements of operations, changes in net assets and cash
flows for the year then ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the College’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.
We conducted an audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. These standards require that we plan
and perform an audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement.
An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.
An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as
evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
In our opinion these financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the College as at
December 31, 2000 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles.
ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS (formerly Alberta Association of Registered Social Workers)
(Incorporated under the Social Work Profession Act of the Province of Alberta)
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT DECEMBER 31, 2000
2000
1999
25,835
1,116,795
5,808
8,289
$ 268,750
301,726
8,481
8,289
1,156,727
587,246
50,934
24,305
35,840
26,450
26,629
9,390
$ 1,183,356
$ 596,636
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash
Short-term investments (note 3)
Accounts receivable
Prepaid expenses
$
CAPITAL ASSETS (note 4)
Furniture and equipment
Less accumulated amortization
LIABILITIES
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Deferred revenue
Membership dues
Promotion of Social Work Grant
Refundable deposits (note 5)
$
71,633
$63,215
381,036
25,981
235,760
219,114
37,513
12,000
714,410
331,842
26,629
9,390
442,317
255,404
468,946
264,794
NET ASSETS
INVESTED IN CAPITAL ASSETS
UNRESTRICTED
$ 1,183,356
LONG-TERM LEASES (note 6)
$
596,636
Continued on page 14
Spring␣ 2001
■
13
■ ANNUAL REPORT — AUDITORS ■
Continued from page 13
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS — YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000
2000
REVENUE
Advocate
Application fees (note 7)
Conference
Diversity Initiative Project Grant
Donations
Interest
Mailout fees
Membership dues
Miscellaneous
Promotion of Social Work Grant
EXPENSES
Aboriginal social work advisory committee
Advertising and promotion
Advocate
Amortization
Annual general meeting
Audit and accounting fees
Bank charges and interest
Canadian Association of Social Workers
membership fees
Conference
Council
Equipment rental
Insurance
Legal fees and disciplinary hearings
Legal research fees
Licenses, fees, memberships and subscriptions
Miscellaneous
Office
Postage
Practice Review Board
Printing
Promotion of Social Work
Registration committee
Rent
Repairs and maintenance
Staff travel and accommodations
Standing committee on clinical social work
Telephone
Wages and related costs
EXCESS OF REVENUE OVER (UNDER) EXPENSES
$
4,569
159,305
51,562
—
2,681
37,593
4,223
777,198
9,075
11,531
1999
$
3,358
27,175
18,097
4,371
8,143
23,291
5,468
556,352
310
12,488
1,057,737
659,053
4,367
—
53,715
7,817
5,779
4,280
6,951
—
614
40,221
3,687
691
3,317
5,204
100,626
50,585
44,301
20,799
2,487
34,624
3,249
879
3,857
12,426
32,117
8,900
11,189
25,984
4,430
31,586
8,350
20,080
4,530
8,966
340,711
75,226
19,754
45,306
17,558
2,394
13,130
8,552
1,042
3,145
10,380
28,963
12,405.
2,483
21,613
2,354
28,749
4,601
16,546
—
6,897
284,226
853,585
659,058
$ 204,152
(5)
Continued on page 15
14
■
Spring␣ 2001
■ ANNUAL REPORT — AUDITORS ■
Continued from page 14
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS — YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,2000
2000
Invested
In Capital
Assets
BALANCE AT BEGINNING OF YEAR
Unrestricted
Total
Total
9,390
$ 255,404
$ 264,794
$ 264,799
Excess of revenue over (under) expenses
(7,817)
211,969
204,152
(5)
Investment in capital assets
25,056
(25,056)
—
—
$ 26,629
$ 442,317
$ 468,946
$ 264,794
BALANCE AT END OF YEAR
$
1999
Pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors, the College plans surplus budgeting in future years until unrestricted net assets totals at least $700,000 at which time the budgeting will be re-evaluated.
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS — YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000
2000
CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Excess of revenue over (under) expenses
Amortization which does not involve cash
$
204,152
7,817
1999
$
(5)
3,687
211,969
3,682
2,673
—
8,418
1,094
(41)
16,406
161,922
—
(11,532)
223,760
33,493
(4,371)
37,513
12,000
385,241
96,094
597,210
99,776
CASH FLOW FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of capital assets
(25,056)
(8,797)
INCREASE IN CASH
572,154
90,979
Cash at beginning of year
570,476
479,497
Changes in non-cash working capital items
Accounts receivable
Prepaid expenses
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
Deferred revenue
Membership dues
Diversity Initiative Project Grant
Promotion of Social Work Grant
Refundable deposits
CASH AT END OF YEAR
Cash is comprised of:
Cash
Short-term investments
$ 1,142,630
$
$ 25,835
1,116,795
$ 1,142,630
570,476
$ 268,750
301,726
$
570,476
Continued on page 16
Spring␣ 2001
■
15
■ ANNUAL REPORT — AUDITORS ■
Continued from page 15
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000
1.
PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION
The Alberta College of Social Workers is incorporated under the Social Work Profession Act to promote and maintain
professional ethics and standards of practice for registered social workers. The College is a not-for-profit organization for
income tax purposes. No dividends may be paid or assets of the association distributed to members of the College.
2.
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The financial statements have been prepared by management in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The precise determination of many assets and liabilities is dependant on future events. As a result, the preparation of financial statements for a period involves the use of estimates and approximations which have been made using
careful judgement. Actual results could differ from those estimates and approximations. The financial statements have,
in management’s opinion, been properly prepared within reasonable limits of materiality and within the framework of
the accounting policies summarized below:
(a) Short-term investments
Short-term investments are stated at cost.
(b) Capital assets
Capital assets are stated at cost. Amortization is provided using the straight-line method at 20% per annum.
(c) Revenue recognition
The College follows the deferral method of accounting for contributions. Restricted contributions are recognized as
revenue in the year in which the related expenses are incurred. Unrestricted contributions are recognized as revenue when received or receivable if the amount to be received can be reasonably estimated and collection is reasonably assured.
(d) Financial instruments
The College’s financial instruments consist of cash, short-term investments, accounts receivable, accounts payable
and refundable deposits. It is management’s opinion that the College is not exposed to any significant interest, currency or credit risks arising from these financial instruments.
3.
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
Scotia Treasury-Bill Fund
Government of Canada bonds including accrued interest
(quoted market value; $861,680; 1999 - $147,808)
2000
1999
$ 248,893
$ 153,918
867,902
147,808
$ 1,116,795
$ 301,726
The Government of Canada bonds have effective yields approximating 5.5% and mature between May, 2001 and September, 2004. Certain of the short-term investments may be committed to repay the refundable deposits (note 5)
Continued on page 17
16
■
Spring␣ 2001
■ ANNUAL REPORT — AUDITORS ■
Continued from page 16
4.
CAPITAL ASSETS
2000
Accumulated
Amortization
Cost
Furniture
Telephone Equipment
Computer Equipment
Net
Net
$ 11,109
9,621
30,204
$
7,308
7,992
9,005
$
3,801
1,629
21,199
$
4,276
2,370
2,744
50,934
$
24,305
$
26,629
$
9,390
$
5.
1999
REFUNDABLE DEPOSITS
Refundable deposits represent membership fees paid by individuals who have applied for registration with the College
under the grandparenting clause of the Social Work Profession Act. Typically, these individuals have been working in
the field of social work for a number of years, however, they do not have the educational background ordinarily required
to register as a social worker. Under the grandparenting clause, they may be approved for membership without this educational background. Individuals who are not approved for membership are entitled to a refund of their membership fee.
6.
LONG-TERM LEASES
(a) The College operates from leased premises under a long-term lease to 2002. The lease provides for annual rental
payments of approximately $36,142 which include a proportionate share of operating costs.
(b) The College has entered into a number of operating leases for office equipment. Annual payments on the operating
leases subsequent to 2000 are as follows:
2001
2002
2003
2004
7.
$ 9,155
$ 5,433
$ 2,744
$ 2,774
APPLICATION FEES
The College receives a one-time non-refundable application fee of $75.00 from new members applying to join. In 2000 a
significant number of application fees were received due to provincially legislated mandatory registration and the onetime grandparenting opportunity for all individuals working in the field of social work.
8.
COMPARATIVE FIGURES
Certain of the 1999 figures
presented for comparative
purposes have been reclassified to conform with the
financial statement presentation adopted for 2000. ■
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Spring␣ 2001
■
17
■ ANNUAL REPORTS ■
Registration Committee
Practice Review Board
C
T
ommittee Members: Al Hagan, Dick Ramsay, Mike
Dickenson, Mary Berube, Dodie Gaudry, Rod Adachi
(ex-officio) and Bill Cunes (chair)
he Practice Review Board continued its activity towards
the development of the Portfolio Model for Continued
Competency for the HPA.
As most are aware, the Alberta government has passed new
legislation to regulate the Health professions. In order to meet
the requirements of this legislation, ACSW struck a
Registration Committee. We have met approximately once a
month over the past year.
The developed Portfolio Model, complete with the professional
development credit allotments, was presented to the
membership at the 2000 conference in Edmonton and was
well received. Work continued on the individual pieces of the
model and the developing of an implementation plan.
The major items on our agenda have been:
An MSW student, Diane Warms, did the initial developmental work on the Self-Assessment tool, and the Board accepted
it in August. The Board is presently modifying the tool, using
feedback provided by members who completed it in its present
form.
1.
The task of defining “demonstrated competencies” under
the Health Professions Act (HPA) using its language, not
the substantial equivalencies as outlined under our current legislation. This process required the committee to
develop a detailed, specific, and clear outline of “other
qualifications” under the headings of:
•
•
•
•
educational background (post secondary)
continuing education
practical work experience
demonstration of competence in social work practice
In short, the work of the committee addresses the question:
Does this applicant for registration bring a profile that
generally compares to the competencies required to practice
social work?
2.
Deciding who will be called a Social Worker is not the
task of the Registration Committee. The Terms of
Reference for this committee only ask that we define
“other qualifications” on behalf of ACSW Council, per the
HPA requirements.
The work of this committee has progressed slowly as this is
new territory for the College and we are aware that it will
affect the future membership of social work in Alberta.
The committee lost the services of Dodie Gaudry this winter due to her heavy commitments in the Wind Song Region
of Child and Family Services. On behalf of the committee, I
would like to sincerely thank Dodie for her time and commitment to this work.
A summer student, Enole Tapaquon, gathered information
from the Aboriginal communities on the Standards of Practice and on the Continued Competence Criteria, and forwarded this information to the Board. We also had one
meeting with Council to establish connections and open lines
of communication. We were represented at the Aboriginal
Conference organized by the Yellowhead Tribal Council, and
responded to numerous questions about Continued Competence.
In response to concerns voiced by the Minister of Child and
Family Services over standards for the completion of assessments by social workers, the Board met with Phil Goodman,
Director of Best Practice, with the Minister’s office. We will
look at doing some collaborative work in this area.
The Board lost the services of one of its original members last
year: Chris Burstall of Grande Prairie resigned due to her
work schedule, after serving on the Board for three years. Her
services were valuable and she has been missed. We also
welcomed two new members, Ruth Bieber from Calgary and
Sherri Lynn Lesanko from the Red Deer area.
The Practice Review Board completed its first review of
practice in the year 2000. In 2001 we plan to finalize and
distribute the full Continued Competency package to the
membership. ■
— Ermine Cummings, MSW, RSW
I also thank Rod Adachi and the office staff for their
support through out this year. Our work would have been
impossible without their time and effort on our behalf. ■
— Bill Cunes, MA, RSW
18
■
Spring␣ 2001
■ ANNUAL REPORTS ■
Private Practice Committee
O
ur committee has been working hard this year, and have some accomplishments
Practitioners:
that we are very pleased about.
Third-party coverage
In particular, a great deal of work has
gone into the issue of third-party coverage. Over the course of the year the
Insurance Committee has completed a
kit that can be used by social workers
to lobby employers and insurance companies for inclusion of social work services in their benefits packages. To
obtain a kit, please contact the ACSW
office.
Insurance Committee
In addition to this, the Insurance Committee has had a significant influence
across Canada in terms of the
promotion of work towards the lobbying
effort. There is positive networking
amongst the committees and contacts
in the different provinces as well as
active interest by CASW and our own
ACSW. In the fall of 2000, the Insurance Committee, as a subcommittee of
the Private Practice Committee, submitted a proposal to ACSW for financial
assistance to intensify the lobbying effort.
At the time of this writing, we are not
sure if this proposal was accepted. If it
is, it would be included in the ACSW
budget for 2001 and our subcommittee
would immediately proceed. The purpose would be to have the services of
clinical social workers included in extended health care benefits. Fifteen
companies would be targeted. The budget would include costs of printed materials and costs associated with this
lobbying effort. It is estimated that the
time involvement would be about four
hours per targeted company. We look
forward to beginning this project and
hope to be able to report the successful
results in next year’s annual report.
Earlier in this past year, our committee also urged the CASW to change its
extended health care benefits package
Attention Independent
so that the same requirements applied
to social workers as to psychologists.
The discrepancy is that services of psychologists not on the National Registry
of Psychologists are covered under Sun
Life Insurance; however, only those social workers on the National Registry of
Social Workers qualify to have their
services included for insurance coverage. It is our hope that CASW will correct this discrimination, and through
The Advocate we have urged social
workers to send letters to CASW to support this change.
Your support needed
We also updated the Annual Private
Practice Renewal Form this year and
continued lobbying to achieve exemption of social workers from having to
charge GST. According to the federal
government’s own policy, there are
enough provinces with mandatory registration that should exempt social
workers. Unfortunately the lobbying
effort is still necessary to achieve this.
To support this, our committee via
ACSW via CASW was asked to obtain
information from our Private Practice
Roster members. A questionnaire was
sent out in December. This information
will be used towards this lobbying
mission.
We encourage you to
express your views
regarding a GST Exemption
for Social Workers in
Independent Practice.
Please refer to the ACSW
website (www.acsw.ab.ca/
news) for a sample letter
and the address of where to
send your letter.
Congratulations
We congratulate those who have been
accepted to the ACSW Registry of Clinical Social Workers and thank those
from our committee who assisted with
the establishment of the criteria.
Thank you!
A closing thank you to the special
people who support the work of the
committee: at the ACSW office—Florence Reinhardt, Brenda Gross,
Rod Adachi, Alison MacDonald, and
our dedicated Council members, who
volunteer so much time and effort.
Private Practice Roster
We welcome all new members who were
approved in 2000 to the Private Practice Roster. We hope that you will attend the annual meeting of the Private
Practice Roster during the March
ACSW Conference in Calgary.
Fee schedule
At our February 2001 meeting, our
committee plans to revise the current
fee schedule. This is something that we
intend to do every two years. Please see
the June 2001 Advocate for the revised
fee schedule.
On behalf of all social work private
practitioners and particularly myself, I
wish to thank all committee members
for their contributions to our work on
private practice issues. Committee
members are: Tom Baker, Barbara
Duke Romano, Dr. Jim Gripton,
Lynn Lambert, Dr. Margaret
Rodway, Brent Savard, Tara
O’Sullivan, and myself as Chair. ■
— Audrey Ferber, MSW, RSW
Spring␣ 2001
■
19
■ ANNUAL REPORTS ■
Children’s Issues
2.
A Solid Mandate for
Children’s Issues
Committee
T
he past year has been one of
changes and revisions, in that our
mandate was refined several
times and finally approved by Council
in June. It was determined that this
committee will have a provincial focus,
provincial representation and, as a
group, we will advocate for all children
in Alberta. We are now officially a
Standing Committee with a core membership from Edmonton and yet-to-bedetermined provincial representation.
We regretfully accepted the resignations of committee co-chairs Jan
Wiedman in June and Butch Nutter
in September. Jan came to Alberta from
the Lake Country of Ontario in the
early 1980s and returned to her “roots”;
she is enjoying her work in the mental
health field. Butch indicated that he
and Carolyn have a traveling agenda,
and therefore, he will not be consistently available for meetings. I became
co-chair upon Jan’s departure and,
upon Butch’s resignation, the chair.
With the generous assistance of
Margot Herbert, it has been a pleasant experience.
We meet at 3:30 PM the third Wednesday of each month at the ACSW office.
Our recent work has been to review our
Terms of Reference, define group
membership, and review our “action”
priorities. Several initiatives have been
completed:
1.
20
Met with the Chan Durrant review
team and sent a response to their
report, “A Review of the Office of
The Children’s Advocate,” to Minister Iris Evans. This letter went under the signature of Jake Kuiken,
ACSW President. We encouraged
swift implementation of several recommendations and added several
more recommendations that would
■
Spring␣ 2001
3.
4.
serve the interests of Alberta’s
vulnerable children and families.
We also reviewed the report
commissioned by Minister Evans
to investigate ever-increasing caseloads. “Child Welfare Caseload
Growth in Alberta: Connecting the
Dots” is now a public document
and is worth reading. Copies are
available from the ACSW office
and will also placed on our website
(www.acsw.ab.ca). We have formulated a draft response that is currently being reviewed by the
committee and will be forwarded to
Minister Evans before the middle
of February.
We are determined to have a presence at the upcoming Annual Conference. At the “lunchbox session”
on March 17th, we will be proposing a strategy to involve members
on a provincial basis. I would appreciate that those of you attending the conference who have an
interest in Children’s Issues attend this lunchbox session.
We strongly support a new initiative of CASW, The Child Welfare
Project, “Creating Conditions of
Good Practice.” We will encourage
focus groups around the province
to ensure Alberta is well represented—what an opportunity to
have a local, provincial and national impact.
Points 3 and 4 will be discussed in
more detail at our lunch box session at
the ACSW Annual Conference.
We also invite your comment and suggestions regarding the Children’s Issues that are important to you. Please
forward them to my attention via mail
or e-mail to the ACSW office.
I would like to thank all the committee
members who have attended and
those who have provided ideas and
suggestions in the past year. Also our
thanks to the staff of ACSW for their
support and assistance in the past
year. ■
— Arnold Thiessen, MSW, RSW
Canadian
Association of
Social Workers
I
t has been a great privilege for me
to represent ACSW and the social
workers of Alberta on the board of
the national association. The Board of the
Canadian Association of Social Workers
(CASW) is a dedicated and task oriented
group of practitioners from across the
country, whose ongoing efforts on behalf
of our profession are impressive. Space
does not allow a description of the many
projects with which CASW is currently involved, however a few major initiatives
merit mention.
■ Those of you who were fortunate
enough to have attended the
International Conference in Montreal
in July will have been impressed with
the success of this conference, and
with CASW’s very central role.
CASW deserves much credit for their
contribution in terms of planning and
sound fiscal management.
■ An executive summary of the Sector
Study is now posted (www.social
workincanada.org) and is well worth
a look.
■ The Social Work Summit, planned for
later this year, will bring together a
range of stakeholders from practice,
education, planning, regulation of the
profession. ACSW president Jake
Kuiken is part of the planning committee. Watch The Advocate and the
ACSW and CASW websites for more
information.
■ The CASW Child Welfare Project is
an exciting new initiative that addresses the problem of impediments
to good practice in child welfare settings across the country. Watch The
Advocate and relevant websites for
information about how YOU can get
involved.
I hope that any ACSW members who are
interested in learning more about the
work of your national association will
contact me. ■
— Margot Herbert, MSW, RSW
■ ANNUAL REPORTS ■
Communications Committee
Coordinator, and Rod Adachi, our
Executive Director.
B
I want to once again acknowledge the
important course-charting work of
Enslin Associates Inc.; the dedication
of our visual identity consultant, Kyle
Loranger (Kyle Loranger Design Inc.
of Edmonton) for his creativity and patience in working with us on the implementation of the now adopted
promotional theme; and finally to Alan
Shugg of the Ministry of Children’s
Services for his active involvement in
the development of specific promotional strategies. ■
ackground to the committee
In November 1999, the Council of the (then) Alberta Association of Registered
Social Workers hired Enslin Associates Inc. of Calgary to develop a strategic communications plan for/on behalf of the Association.
The retention of Enslin and the resolve
by Council to develop such a plan was
in part the result of a partnership between AARSW and the Ministry of
Children’s Services to profile the positive impact of the child welfare worker.
Council also asked Enslin to develop
recommendations to launch the anticipated new “face” of the Association: The
Alberta College of Social Workers.
In May 2000, Enslin submitted their
“Communications Recommendations”
report to Council. The thrust and overall theme of this report was to
“…strengthen public opinion” in order
to address “…the need to communicate
strong supportive messages to AARSW
members and partners, and to improve
perceptions of social workers in the
public eye.”
After careful consideration of and further consultations around the report,
Council elected to appoint a Communications Committee in order to position
Council to strategically address the recommendations in the report.
Membership
As of this report, committee members
are: Al Hagan (Chair), Jake Kuiken
(ex-officio), Gayle Gilchrist James,
Neil Deringer, David Flux, Scott
Stewart, Rod Adachi (staff), and
Elaine Paras (staff).
Mandate
As a Standing Committee of ACSW, the
Communications Committee acts in an
advisory role to Council on all matters
regarding promotions, public relations,
and communications.
Work to date
The committee held its first (organizational) meeting on September 25, 2000,
in Edmonton. Subsequent meetings
were held on October 20, November 19,
and January 12, 2001.
“Together…
the Courage for Change”
The committee has completed its Council-assigned initial task—develop a promotional theme or “tag line” and visual
identity. “Together…the Courage for
Change” is the theme chosen by Council on behalf of the membership to
launch us into the third millennium and
the new organizational structure of the
Alberta College of Social Workers.
— Al Hagan, MSW, RSW
The committee committed itself to work
with Council to officially unveil its new
visual identity at the Annual General
Meeting of the College on March 15,
2001. Be there!
Also, draft Terms of Reference for the future work of the Communications Committee were submitted and approved by
Council. As well, the committee has
committed to work with an outside consultant (Alan Shugg of Children’s Services) during February 2001 to develop
specific strategic directions “…regarding promotions, public relations and
communications (including strategies)
that will enhance the public image of
Alberta’s social workers and ACSW’s
capacity to work with the public media.”
These are exciting times, full of challenges for our growing organization. I
have every confidence in our ability as
a committee to meet those challenges
and to fulfill our Council and membership mandates.
I want to acknowledge the hard work
evidenced to date by our committee. A
special thank you goes out to Elaine
Paras, ACSW Professional Affairs
Spring␣ 2001
■
21
■ ANNUAL REPORTS ■
Upcoming
Tele-health
Sessions:
■
May 1, 2001, 12 -1 PM:
Vivian Lai, Provincial Program
Contact, will speak on “Healthy
Aging and Continuing Care in
Alberta” (a follow-up to the
Broda Report)
■
June 6, 2001, 12 -1 PM:
Val Gervais, MSW, RSW, will
speak on “Coping with Grief and
Multiple Losses”
These sessions are scheduled
for viewing in Edmonton at
Corbett Hall, and the
University, Misericordia, and
Royal Alexandra Hospitals. If
other locations across the
province desire to come on line,
please contact Bill MacLeod,
Tele-health technician, at (780)
491-5945.
Videos of these and other
sessions are FOR SALE, $15.00/
each, Contact ACSW.
Social Workers in
Health Interest Group
P
rofessional development and network
ing have remained the primary focus
for this group for the last year. A small
but dedicated group have met bimonthly to
understand common themes relevant to social work practice in health care settings,
and then to respond by organizing various
educational opportunities.
One of the ideas was to offer province-wide
information sessions using the widespread
and accessible “tele-health” system; the two
sessions held in the fall were well received.
“Vicarious Traumatization” was presented
by Cathy Morrison from University of Alberta Hospital, while Rick Brown from the
Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital spoke
about his work with “Telephone Support
Groups in Rural Settings.” Sessions planned
for the spring include “Healthy Aging and
Continuing Care in Alberta” and “Coping
with Grief and Multiple Losses.” *Video
copies of all sessions may be ordered
from the ACSW office for $15.00 each.
Suggestions for other topics are always
welcome!
Another initiative was to help social workers new to health care practice get together
so they could generate pertinent observations and suggestions regarding their orientation needs. This meeting resulted in a
report that is being reviewed by committee
members to determine potential avenues for
future support. A Social Work Orientation
Manual developed by social workers at University of Alberta Hospital was shared with
other hospitals within the Capital Health
Region and has been well received, especially by social workers new to the health
care field.
The Social Workers in Health Interest
Group welcomes new participants at any
time. Please contact co-chairs Barbara
Taylor at the Glenrose Rehab. Hospital,
(780) 471-2262 ext. 2367, or Sharlene
Craig at the University of Alberta Hospital,
(780) 407-1208 or email <[email protected]>
for further information. ■
— Sharlene Craig, MSW, RSW
22
■
Spring␣ 2001
Social Work &
Computers Interest
Group
I
t is gratifying to see the number of so
cial workers who are beginning to use
the website as a resource. The site has
seen approximately 2000 visitors in the past
month, about the same number as the
previous six months! These numbers seem to
be a consequence of the addition of the
following services to the web site: the Job
Database, the News and Mailing List, the
Message Board, and The Advocate online.
Job Database
The ACSW receives many job postings from
employers across the country.
Mailing List
This service allows the College to send information updates, bulletins and reminders via
email to all members who have joined the
mailing list. Please add your email address—it’s simple to do.
Message Board
Finally, we continue to encourage the
membership to explore the immense communication possibilities provided by the ACSW
Message Board. The Message Board is
getting some use, but its growth continues
to be hampered by a lack of responses to the
questions, issues and comments people have
left on the board. So, if you think you can
respond to questions, by all means do so.
Our interest group has been busy over the
past year. We helped the ACSW purchase a
domain name. We consulted with the ACSW
office regarding their new computer network, which was installed late last year. And
we’re currently working on integrating the
new ACSW look and logos into the web site.
Come visit the web site. Send us your feedback. The site will only be able to meet the
needs of the membership if we know what
those needs are. Send your feedback to
[email protected]. ■
— Steve Natran, RSW, Chair
<[email protected]>
— John Long, RSW, Webmaster & member
<[email protected]>
■ NEWS FROM THE FACULTY ■
UNIVERSITY OF
CALGARY
FACULTY OF
SOCIAL WORK
C
hildren’s Mental Health University Educational Initiative Update
Career Day 2001
On March 21, 2001, the Faculty of Social Work and the Social Work Students
Society are hosting the third annual
Career Day at the MacEwan Hall Ballroom, University of Calgary. In addition to providing agencies and students
an opportunity to network and explore
volunteer and employment possibilities, we will also celebrate Social Work
Week and the International Year of
Volunteers. The Faculty is pleased to
have this opportunity to pay tribute to
the many volunteers who contribute
countless hours to our agencies, our
profession and our communities.
Alumni Activity
During November 2000, the Faculty of
Social Work participated in the University of Calgary Alumni Annual Fund
Phonathon. With the contributions
from alumni donors and matching dollars from the Alberta Opportunities
Bursary Program, we have now established the Social Work Alumni Bursary.
A very special thank you to all donors
and volunteer callers!
On November 30, 2000, the Faculty
hosted its third Alumni Event at the
University Club with Dr. Eileen
Gambrill, Professor of Social Welfare,
University of California at Berkeley, as
guest speaker. Dr. Gambrill’s topic was
Evidence-based Practice. During this
visit to Alberta she presented workshops on the topic in both Edmonton
and Calgary.
The Faculty is also exploring the
possibility of establishing an Alumni
Chapter. A small group of interested
alumni and Faculty representatives
met with Dr. Doris Guyatt on February 2, 2001, to seek her expertise in this
area. Dr. Guyatt is on the Board of
Directors of the Social Work Alumni
Development of modules for the interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate courses
in children’s mental health is proceeding, utilizing writers from both academic and
community settings. During the Spring/Summer session, two Children’s Mental Health
courses (Social Work 595 and 693) will be piloted at the University of Calgary campus. The modules created for this initiative will also be available on the Faculty of
Social Work website by late spring. Materials will be most helpful to instructors but
will also provide valuable information to the individual practicing in the field.
Association at the University of Toronto, and was pleased to share their experiences with us. We would like to
extend an invitation to all interested
alumni throughout the province to become involved so that we can have a
vibrant and meaningful chapter.
If you are able to assist with this
endeavor, please contact Naida
Brotherston at [email protected] or
Elaine Eskow at [email protected].
Continuous Learning and
Professional Development
On January 26, 2001, Dr. Gale
Burford, Professor and Director, Department of Social Work, University of
Vermont, presented a workshop entitled Family Group Conferencing to a
packed audience in Calgary. Dr.
Burford is widely recognized as one of
the leading scholars and practitioners
in the world in the use of family group
conferencing, and was very well
received.
The Faculty of Social Work and AADAC
are in the early planning stages to provide two-day workshops on Dialectical
Behavior Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder by staff from the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Clinic,
Centre for Addictions and Mental
Health, Ontario. These would be offered
in both Calgary and Edmonton with a
tentative date set for the week of September 10, 2001. For further information, please contact Leta Hart at
[email protected] or Elaine
Eskow at [email protected].
Given the success of the workshops offered in Lethbridge, Edmonton and
Calgary by Professor Di Gursansky,
School of Social Work and Social Policy,
University of South Australia, on Case
Management, the Faculty of Social
Work is pursuing the development of an
interdisciplinary Post-Degree Continuous Learning Certificate in Case Management. It is hoped that the first
course can be offered in January 2002.
Professor Gursansky will be visiting
Canada again in the summer and plans
are underway to have her do another
workshop in Calgary. Tentative date
and topic: July 12, 2001—Ethical Considerations in Case Management Practice. Check the Faculty website for
details.
Centre for Social Work Research
and Development
The Faculty of Social Work recently
launched the Centre for Social Work
Research and Development. The new
Centre’s mission is to promote and support social welfare and social work research and development in Alberta as
well as nationally and internationally.
U of C Social Work research covers a
vast number of important topics ranging from child welfare, to gerontology,
to international development, to domestic social policy analysis.
The Centre will provide support for U
of C researchers and their community
partners. This research centre will also
provide new opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to take
part in research projects and interact
with professors. By luring new research
funding, the Centre should help the faculty attract and support top-notch
graduate students. A physical space for
the research centre will be sought in the
coming months. A research administrator and secretarial staff will also be
hired and appointments made to the
Centre’s board of directors.
For more information, contact Dr.
Sieppert at [email protected]. ■
Spring␣ 2001
■
23
■ FEATURE ARTICLE ■
“A piece of cake!”
Writing workshop with Bill Kirwin
Leslie MacKinnon, BSW, RSW
J
“
ust write a little blurb about it, 200 words or so…” Practically a day off for a
professional writer, but for an amateur? When you know there could be
thousands reading it? How hard can it be?
After spending a day with Bill Kirwin in his writers’ workshop, the terror receded and pleasure in the written word triumphed. Twelve of us were willing to take a day away from
work and transport ourselves into a creative world, risking
our egos as we shared what we wrote.
Our theme for the day was “places.” Bill gave us little cues
and clues to get us going. In different exercises, we described
various places—where we retreat, where we go every day,
places others have told us about that we would like to see,
and places where we keep our stuff.
One exercise had each person read his or her topic sentence,
and then the rest would brainstorm whatever words or
images came to us relating to that sentence. We could then
incorporate some of those ideas into our paragraph or story.
The creative juices flowed and humor abounded. The workshop was deemed a success, with several members of the
group willing to meet again for a second day of practice, possibly in the spring.
What did we learn? Write every day. Writing is fun; especially
when it’s not work-related. Two hundred words are a piece of
cake!
Have you got something to say? Want to write for The
Advocate? Humor, criticism, observation, book review—all
are welcome. There is an aspiring writer in each of us. ■
National Volunteer Week: April 22-28, 2001
In Canada, over 7.5 million volunteers are making a difference in their local communities. More people are expected
to volunteer their time and talents during 2001—the International Year of the Volunteer. Organizations looking
for volunteers are encouraged to use the Volunteer Opportunities Exchange (www.voe-reb.org), a web site where
you can find willing individuals with a vast array of skills and experiences.
For more information, or to place an order for promotional resources, please contact your local Volunteer Centre
or Volunteer Canada at 1-800-670-0401.
THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF
CLINICAL HYPNOSIS (ALBERTA DIVISION)
SPRING CONFERENCE
Banff, Alberta — May 3 to 6, 2001
Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced Workshops
The Advanced Workshop Features:
DR. JO ANN HUNTER JOHNSON
“Habit Disorders”
“Grief Reactions”
For more information call the Society at(780) 488-1680 or 1-800-386-7230
24
■
Spring␣ 2001
Deadline
for submissions to
the Summer 2001
issue of
THE ADVOCATE
is
April 15, 2001
■ ANNUAL SUMMER INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL WORK ■
Social Work Education:
Opportunities are increasing in Central Alberta
Derryn Yeomans, MSW, RSW , Area Coordinator
T
he Second Annual Summer Institute of Social Work was held August 22, 2000, at Red Deer College in Red Deer. Re
sponses from participants indicated that the day was a success, providing professional development as well as a chance for
networking with other social workers. Four different and informative workshops were offered.
Allan Falden, MSW, employed in the social work field since 1972 in Yukon, Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario, and Alberta, gave an overview of the Child Welfare system. Heather Moon,
BSW, RSW, a Certified Perinatal Bereavement Counselor working at the Red Deer Regional
Hospital, spoke of her experiences in perinatal bereavement counselling. Derryn Yeomans,
MSW, RSW, Clinical Social Worker in private practice working with the Alzheimer Society and
an Employee Assistance Program, spoke on Alternative Interventions that can be effectively
used in social work. Michelle Yeomans, who is completing certification in holistic health
through Wild Rose College, provided supplementary information on holistic health methods.
Phyllis Bailey and Sarah Schug of Rocky Mountain House presented an informative session
on Working with Aboriginal Clients.
The Keynote address was “Reflections on Social Work Skills for the 21st Century.” Emily
Drzymala, PhD, RSW, an instructor in Social Work at Red Deer College, and George Jason,
MSW, RSW, a program director at Alberta Hospital, Ponoka, spoke on the micro and macro aspects of our profession.
Planning is now underway for the Third Annual Summer Institute, which will be held
on August 24, 2001. This year, the Institute will include a Thursday night presentation and
wine and cheese reception as well as a full day of workshops on Friday. The Summer Institutes
of Social Work are a joint project of the Alberta College of Social Workers and the Social Work
Department at Red Deer College.
Allan Falden giving an
overview of the Child
Welfare system
Other good news
from Central Alberta:
A BSW program (from University of
Calgary) is now available at Red
Deer College and the first class will
complete its first year in April. This is in
addition to the Social Work Diploma that
has been available at Red Deer College
for many years.
Derryn Yeomans speaking on
“Alternative Interventions”
The Alberta College of Social
Workers 2002 Provincial Conference
will be held in Red Deer! The Conference Committee, which will include social workers from across the province,
will meet in mid-February to begin planning. Anyone wishing to assist can call
Elaine at the ACSW office. ■
Keynote Speakers Emily Drzymala
and George Jason
Spring␣ 2001
■
25
■ FEATURE ARTICLE ■
“Dear Diary…”
Heather Moon, BSW, RSW
Family Liaison Coordinator, David Thompson Health Region, Red Deer Regional Hospital
My suggestions for an
“All I Really Need To
Know, I Learned From A
Social Worker” poster:
•
•
Treasure the skill of
empathy, but do not
•
Like many of my fellow colleagues, I have learned valuable lessons while in the trenches. It
is the most gratifying feeling to survive the daily grind, while at the same time trying to be
an advocate and sounding board for those lost souls in the system. Isn’t this what we do best?
But at what cost?
There is always something to be learned
Believe in self-
Know who makes the
rules and keep them as
your allies
When I was placed into the position of Employee Assistance Coordinator (staff counseling)
at Red Deer Regional Hospital, I was already responsible for four Acute Care Units. I was
being asked to continue my rounds and clinical care for Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and
Special Care Nursery, while at the same time prioritize those emergent calls from fellow
staff members who felt the need for short term counseling or referrals. This was the beginning of our regional amalgamation and I was asked to answer the need for up to 3500 employed staff. Impossible…? Yes! But the lessons I learned were invaluable…
•
Listen more, talk less,
Remember that anger,
guilt and loneliness are
the deepest forms of
Smile often—it is free,
contagious and makes
fewer wrinkles
•
with questions of insecurity and uncertainty? Do they know they are not alone?
understand.”
pain
•
•
•
•
Social workers thrive on being able to work with so many different personalities, but we have
to know our limitations as well.
•
Celebrate the gifts you
bring to life
Do not define your life
within the walls of your
profession
Make it known that you cannot do it all! I made my in-patient priority and budgetary
constraints clear from day one. In order for me to be capable and competent, my
colleagues needed to be aware of the “conditions.” Challenge your colleagues to be
accountable.
Learn to enhance your program! A year after I wrote a proposal for Employee Assistance asking for a full time coordinator, this position was created. Reevaluate what
is being offered: there may be a better way of doing things.
Learn to use the computer! Making the time and effort to learn the new and easy
way of doing things really makes a difference in your daily work schedule.
Do not be too humble! Even though I realized the position was impossible for one person
to manage, I also recognized that I had been chosen for my abilities and past performance.
It’s not always what you know, but who you know
•
•
people survive, and do they recognize their passion in life? How often do they struggle
And what have we learned? What valuable lessons can we share with one another and pass
along to the up and coming generation of social action and change agents?
and feel always
•
question whenever I search for meaning and guidance in my life. How do these caring
confuse this with the
statement “I
determination
•
D
o you ever wonder what this life would be like without social workers? I often ponder this
•
Take notice of how others perceive you. Are you a dependable worker? Do you follow through with projects, referrals, paperwork? Are we becoming stagnant in the system or are we branching out to find new ways of doing things? People recognize initiative,
drive and the ability to see beyond the whole picture. How are you doing?
Who are the people you need to know? Listen to what is going on around you. Do
not take advantage of people, but know how you can benefit from the structure. It makes
the process that much easier when you know who the players are in your system.
Don’t burn your bridges. It may be tempting, but don’t lash out uncontrollably. There
are constructive ways to express yourself and successfully fulfil your goals without being
a doormat or a bully.
Continued on page 27
26
■
Spring␣ 2001
■ FEATURE ARTICLE ■
“Dear Diary…”
“All I Really Need To
Continued from page 27
Know, I Learned From A
•
Choose a few role models. We may not have the opportunity to be in the presence of
greatness every day, but our role models do not have to be in the work setting. A teacher,
a fellow student, a philosopher, a pastor, a friend…who has made a difference in your
life? Embrace their attitude and the life experiences they share with you.
Social Worker”
•
There is nothing permanent except change
As much as we would like to think we are in control, we cannot control our destiny. Nor can
we control hospital budgets, staff ratios, patient length of stay or the placement of our management. We can try to identify what is important and what is manageable in our lives.
•
•
•
•
Accept the inevitable. We must all find a comfort level manageable for us, acknowledge the issues we can live with, and practice the coping mechanisms for surviving drastic
and ongoing alterations.
Change comes in many forms. Service of delivery, community resources, the health
care system, the population of your clientele, issues of concern, world events, even the
way you present yourself … all will change over time. Embrace the change, because there
is no way you can escape this entity.
Look within. You will change. You will grow, learn, and prosper; you will struggle,
stumble, and feel lost. It’s okay to change as long as you like the person you become.
Search for your passion and then live it! You might find that you don’t fit in the system
anymore and want out. It’s okay to find there is a life outside your present job position.
It’s your life!
Don’t take it personally. Change happens around us and within us but not to us, not
unless we allow it to happen. The job is changing because of the system, the role is changing because you have expanded, but they cannot change YOU unless you are an eager
participant.
(continued)
Have eyes to see the
hidden sorrow, ears to
hear the unspoken fear,
and a heart to feel the
troubled soul
•
Accept guidance and
support as a sign of
goodwill, not as a
weakness
•
Be active—you need to
keep your broad shoulders
in shape
•
Plant a seed of hope,
nourish the strengths, and
delight in the endurance of
the human spirit
Living is important
What a challenge it is to keep our heads above water! Not only are we needed and maxed
out at work, but we also have a personal life that begs for our involvement. Life periodically
shows us what is really important and should never be taken for granted.
•
Be a life-long learner; the
art and science of our
profession is growing
•
•
•
•
Your peers are invaluable. Who are the co-workers you lean on when you are having
a pathetic day, when you want feedback on a new idea, when you need reassurance for
what you said to a client? Try to imagine if you had no one who could relate to what you
do, how would you do it and why? Trust me, it is important to tell your fellow colleagues
how much you appreciate their very existence!
Your personal life needs your attention. Do not define your existence by your
professional title. Who you are incorporates so much more than just your job. You have
family, friends, interests, hobbies, talents, dreams, travel. Nurture and explore your
passions. Your spirit, health and emotions are vital to your well-being.
You are not alone. There is so much potential for involvement and sharing within your
lifetime. You are not the only one hurting, the only one searching, or the only one
struggling.
Life is too short. Where do want to be in ten years? What do you want to be doing? Do
you have passion for what you are doing now? The grass is not always greener on the
other side of the fence, but it is nice to look over and see if you are missing something.
Your job isn’t easy and your home life is never dull. You want to heal the wounds, ease the
pain, and endeavor to make the world a better place to live. And you know what? You do it
every day! You may fall, but you will never fail!
•
Burnout, self-preservation
and time out do not
signify defeat
•
Dignity, privacy and selfesteem are essential for
every living being
•
Don’t burn your bridges
•
Believe in yourself
•
Remember, you DO make a
difference!
Keep the Faith. ■
Spring␣ 2001
■
27
■ FEATURE ARTICLE ■
“The trend to hand all
social programs over to
the private sector to
deliver, as business
interests, seems to be
gaining more and more
steam. What are the
repercussions of this
divestment of power
and collective
“What’s happened to the ‘social’ in our
social work profession?”
Dear Editor,
I
am writing I response to the invitation by the editorial staff to “share my views” and “let
my voice be heard.” I am a social worker (yes, a registered one). As such, I have a right and
perhaps an obligation to speak. I emphasize the word social because it helps to remind me
and give me the courage to express myself about an issue that seems so crucial to social work and
yet seems to be so obviously absent in social work discourse. Every time I receive my copy of The
Advocate I hope that maybe this time someone wiser and more articulate than me will have written
an article and will have raised the issue—but alas, no such luck.
responsibility for
citizens, for whole
communities, and what
we refer to as
democracy itself? What
is the effect on all the
relationships we pride
ourselves on knowing so
much about?”
— Diane E. Charles,
BSW, RSW
What, I wonder, has happened to the word social in our social work profession? As social
workers, we pride ourselves as being quite different and distinguished from other professionals. We social workers like to think we see “people in environment.” We like to think we
have some unique understanding about relationships and the dynamics of power— such as
that which exists between individuals, within the family, between family and community
and between community and the institutions and political structures in which we live. We
pride ourselves on having some unique “professional” understanding of the part(s) to the
larger whole, their interdependency, their reciprocity and all their inequalities. In fact, all
the areas where the personal and the political might intersect. It is after all, the word “social” which we like to believe sets us apart in our thinking about the nature of human problems and the solutions to them.
In the economic and political climate of the past decade, it seems we social workers in Alberta have been very, very busy pursuing the path of professionalism. Under threat of being marginalized and left out in the cold unless we are sanctioned, legitimized and have
professional status, we climb snugly into bed with other professionals, namely health professionals. As we come off the streets and find comfort in such privileged company it seems
less and less that we are able to retain our unique collective memory of the oppressive and
cruel nature of the social structures and inequalities, which prevent others from finding comfort in our world. We begin to adopt the language and the mindset of our bedmates. On our
nightstands we keep our handy DSM IV “Bibles.” It seems more and more of the people we
see have inherent, possibly even genetically transmitted diagnosable illnesses that require
“professional” intervention. Less and less in our Social Work publications, organizations,
conferences, discussions and discourse in general, does there seem to be much attention paid
to the social conditions or the relations and distribution of power and wealth that are contributing factors and deep underlying causes of problems in our world. Social consciousness,
class-consciousness, seems to be passé.
The myth about poverty being the consequence of poor choices permeates out society. Poor
parents whose children come to the attention of (usually white middle class) professionals
are all too often seen as having “poor parenting skills” and become the objects of change.
Overburdened humans trying to cope (often alone) with too much or too little in an environment of harsh judgementalism by the upper classes are frequently seen as “poor money
managers.”
In the 1930s the condition of poverty was known as “The Depression.” It was attributed to
Continued on page 29
28
■
Spring␣ 2001
■ FEATURE ARTICLE ■
“What happened to the ‘social’ in our social work profession?”
The Advocate really
Continued from page 28
appreciates letters like this
corporate greed, and it was understood to be a social condition endured by many because of
glaring and unfair inequalities. The way of changing it was seen to lie in some kind of collective social action. Now, in the new millennium, this same condition is more likely to be
seen by professionals—and, to my dismay, this includes social workers—as “depression” or
a myriad of other diagnostic disorders. It is frequently attributed to individual deficiency,
chemical imbalance and poor choice. Rather than social consciousness and collective action,
it requires an individual and all too often a pharmaceutical solution.
one as well as articles such
I am repeatedly disheartened by the heavy emphasis in our social work publications on the
clinical side of social work. Missing almost entirely is any kind of critical and comprehensive analysis of the reorganization and consolidation of power into the hands of fewer and
fewer players in this global economy. Where is the discourse about the changing role of governments in our society? Among those quietly “disappeared” ideas seems to be the expectation that governments serve some type of mediating function (at the very least) in the creation
of some semblance of equality between rich and poor by the re-distribution of wealth. The
divestment of collective responsibility seems to have occurred with barely a whimper. The
trend to hand all social programs over to the private sector to deliver, as business interests,
seems to be gaining more and more steam. What are the repercussions of this divestment of
power and collective responsibility for citizens, for whole communities, and what we refer
to as democracy itself? What is the effect on all the relationships we pride ourselves on knowing so much about?
as Heather Moon’s “Dear
Diary…” submission (pages
22-23). Diane told The
Advocate that the frustration
of ”feeling alone” spurred
her into writing this
thought-provoking letter.
We would like to invite
ACSW members to respond to
this letter and share your
feelings and experiences
with fellow members. We
would like to start an “on
I turn to social workers to help me understand the social and political implications of this
mindset. How is it affecting the people you work with, the communities in which you live
and your ability to do social work in the way in which you might have once envisioned? I am
disappointed to hear nothing but a frightening silence on the subject. Where are all the social
workers who got into social work because of an interest in social justice, equality and respect
for all humans? What are you doing and what keeps you encouraged in tough times? What
are your strategies to counteract the discourse and myths of the dominant classes such as
the one about it being a “level playing field” or “survival of the fittest” and that those who
are not smart enough or adaptable enough to jump onto their own entrepreneurial
bandwagons deserve to get left behind in the dust? When lately have you risked letting go
of professional status and control, and really involved and truly empowered those who live
with oppression daily, to speak or act in a loud and noticeable way? Would you please share
this experience? I for one need to know that social workers are not merely agents of social
control interested in nothing more than reinforcing the legitimacy of structures, systems and
governments which seem to be nothing less than oppressive and interested only in
maintaining the status quo.
— Diane E. Charles, BSW, RSW
the front lines/back to our
roots” feature in The
Advocate, and no, this does
not mean you have to write
the article: call or email
ACSW Professional Affairs
Coordinator Elaine Paras at
the ACSW office with your
ideas, and she’ll pass them
along to editor Hazel
Sangster, who will do the
interviewing and write the
articles.
U of C MSW student doing practicum in Central America
The February issue of Next Steps (http://www.nextsteps.org) is featuring social work as
a profession, and includes a story about our MSW student, Jessica Smith, who is
currently doing a practicum with the U of C’s Central America water resource project in
Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Check it out at
http://www.nextsteps.org/steps/feb01/double.htm
or follow the links from our International Social Work web page.
— Maureen Wilson
Spring␣ 2001
■
29
■ FEATURE ARTICLE ■
Being an effective
A day in the life…
social worker today, and
surviving to be effective
tomorrow, requires a
great deal of energy and
creativity. Sharon
Harewood, MSW, RSW, is
just such a social
S
haron Harewood currently works in the Intergovernmental Initiatives and Policy Research
Branch of the Partnership and Innovation Division of the newly formed Ministry of Children’s
Services. This Division is the “think tank” of the new Ministry. Sharon and her colleagues
in the Policy Research and Evaluation Unit are responsible for developing the capacity of the Ministry
to conduct policy research and evaluate the effectiveness of programs for children and families.
This challenging work leads to involvement in a number of exciting partnerships within government,
the community, and academic settings.
worker. She is using her
energy and creativity to
find opportunities to
promote social work
values and principles in
the work place and in
the community.
A day in the life of a manager in policy research and evaluation can be exciting and challenging. In one day, Sharon could be involved in planning the evaluation of a cross-ministry
program such as the Alberta Partnership on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, attending a meeting
regarding transitional supports for youth leaving Child Welfare, and dashing to a meeting
of the Steering Committee for the Edmonton Division pilot team teaching project (see “Two
Heads Are Better Than One,” on pages 28-29, following).
Developing policies and supporting the evaluation of programs for children and families is
a long way from Sharon’s first job as a front line social worker. Equipped with an Arts degree from the University of Alberta in the late 1960s, Sharon started her career as a family
worker in Edmonton’s inner city. She thoroughly enjoyed front line work and decided that
she wanted to pursue social work as a career. In 1972 she accepted a position with the Department of Social Services and Community Health as a front line Public Assistance Worker.
Two years later she became a front line worker in the first Handicapped Children’s Services
Unit in Edmonton, and then the Assistant Program Supervisor of the Handicapped Children’s
Services at the provincial level.
Sharon felt that she wanted to go back into direct service delivery. After completing her BSW
at the University of Calgary, Edmonton Division, in 1980, she accepted a position as Child
Welfare Supervisor at the Hys Centre District Office in Edmonton. “These two years were a
pivotal experience for me,” remembers Sharon. “It was very rewarding to work with the
children and their families.”
In 1985, Sharon had the opportunity to work for a year in the Child Welfare Consultation
Unit in Edmonton before becoming the Supervisor of the Foster Care Unit.Within six months
of taking this position, she was appointed Regional Children’s Guardian for the Northeast
Region, and moved to St. Paul, Alberta. “I liked being involved in something new and innovative and, coming from a farm background, I liked being back in the rural setting,” Sharon
reflects.
She chose to stay in St. Paul while completing her MSW in Calgary, becoming one of three
“road warriors” along with ACSW’s Elaine Paras and Linda Golding. In 1990, Sharon became the Manager of the Family and Social Services District Offices in Lloydminster and
Vermilion. In October 1997, she also assumed responsibility for the Wainwright District
Office. Although managing service delivery for three programs in three district offices was
very demanding, Sharon found time to be involved in a variety of projects at the regional
and provincial levels, particularly in the area of Child Welfare.
As the Services to Persons with Developmental Disabilities and Child Welfare programs
Continued on page 31
30
■
Spring␣ 2001
■ FEATURE ARTICLE ■
A Day in the life…
Continued from page 30
transitioned to community boards, Sharon began to think about other opportunities. She enjoyed being close to her family in the Lloydminster area, but decided
that “it was time to try something different.” In May 1999 Sharon was offered a
position in the Standards, Monitoring and Evaluation Branch of the former Department of Family and Social Services. From the 12th floor of Seventh Street
Plaza, Sharon witnessed the implementation of a new Children’s Services Ministry and new opportunities to promote social work values and principles in a rapidly changing environment.
Her move to Edmonton has provided opportunities to pursue other interests, such
as teaching the Child Welfare Elective at the Faculty of Social Work, Edmonton
Division, and participating in workshops with Jean Lafrance and Ruth Wolfe regarding the importance of listening to and learning from clients.
Sharon brings strong social work values to the policy research and program evaluation table. “I am passionate about the quality of services we deliver to kids and
families. We need to develop strong partnerships with them and engage them in
all aspects of the planning process,” she comments. “We also need to provide opportunities for staff to be as well-trained as possible.”
These passions have dictated her career decisions, particularly this latest move,
where she feels her front line experience is invaluable and where she can have
more influence on future policies.
relax. She does enjoy doing volunteer
work with an adult literacy program,
walking, and attending the symphony
with a good social work friend.
Recipient of an AARSW Award for Excellence in Practice in 1997, Sharon does
miss being on the front line. However,
she keeps in touch through personal
contacts, various projects, and teaching
at the Faculty.
“It is more important than ever to ensure that social workers maintain a
presence in all areas of service delivery
and planning,” Sharon comments. In a
rapidly changing work environment,
social work values are her anchor to
what is really important—the children
and families impacted by the policies
developed, the programs evaluated, and
the child welfare workers trained. ■
— Hazel Sangster
The transition to “the big city” has had its challenges for Sharon. However, she
has the privilege of “house sharing” with her son and his family while he attends
the University of Alberta. “Being a grandmother is exciting,” she admits. Living
in Edmonton also brings her closer to her other adult son, who works in Calgary.
Office Space
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1300 - 8th Street S.W.,
Calgary
Sharon struggles to maintain balance in her life and works hard to find time to
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Spring␣ 2001
■
31
■ FEATURE ARTICLE ■
“Frequently the good
“Two heads are better than one”
practice principles which
Partnership Pilot in Education
are so strongly
emphasized by the
Faculty are not
congruent with the job
expectations of the child
welfare system. How do
we in an academic
setting prepare these
students for the real
world of working while
maintaining our
commitment to teaching
F
or the past year, Margot Herbert, MSW, RSW, from the University of Calgary Faculty of
Social Work, Edmonton Division, and Linda McFalls, BSW, RSW, Ma´mowe Child and
Family Service Supervisor, have been collaborating in an exciting new pilot project in team
teaching in Edmonton.
The Faculty of Social Work has always been committed to the notion of working in partnership with the community on a variety of levels and projects. Traditionally many students
from the Edmonton Division have moved into a Child Welfare setting. Through her contact
with these students through the Social Work Methods course and Child Welfare elective,
Margot has listened to their concerns that there is a gap between what they are learning in
the Faculty and the expectations on the job.
Linda’s eleven years at Children’s Services (where she is responsible for new and existing
staff training, supervision of internships and the certification process) enabled her to see
that new graduates were missing some of the skills and knowledge that the system demanded.
ethical and competent
social work practice?“
— Margot Herbert
“Sometimes they are just not familiar with the ages and stages of children,” explained Linda.
“Some have no baseline for a range of normality in speech or motor skills.”
“There were certain exasperations and disappointments for those on the academic side too.
Frequently the good practice principles which are so strongly emphasized by the Faculty
are not congruent with the job expectations of the child welfare system. How do we in an
academic setting prepare these students for the real world of working while maintaining
our commitment to teaching ethical and competent social work practice?“ asked Margot.
Although the Faculty had a long-standing and close relationship with Children’s Services,
they felt it was necessary to go a step further to establish a direct partnership between
Children’s Services and the Edmonton Division. A Steering Committee was formed and a
year spent in planning this joint three-year project. Members of the Steering Committee included Marie Christie, Manager of Children’s Services, who was co-chair with Dr. Jean
Lefrance, Assistant Professor, University of Calgary, Edmonton Divison, and former
Children’s Advocate; Jack Jervis, Human Resources Manager, Children’s Services; Kathy
Biollo, Children’s Services; Grace Elliott, Field Coordinator for the Faculty of Social Work,
Edmonton Division; Leslie Baker, Project Coordinator; and Sharon Harewood, instructor of the Child Welfare elective course.
This year, the second-year Methods course was jointly taught by Linda and Margot, with a
focus on the integration of child welfare issues and practice. The “umbrella” goal was to
improve services for vulnerable children and families, explained Margot. In more concrete
terms, the shared objectives were to better prepare graduates to work in the Child Welfare
setting and to raise the bar vis-à-vis excellence in practice in Children’s Services.
Continued on page 33
32
■
Spring␣ 2001
■ FEATURE ARTICLE ■
“Two heads are better than one”
Continued from page 32
Part of the offering includes an integrative seminar for these ten self-selected students. These seminars provided an opportunity for students to share their
practicum experiences and learn from each other. Richard Oullette, an assistant
to the CEO of Ma´mowe Capital Region, attended one of these seminars—a valuable sharing experience for him and the students involved.
Each student was matched with a volunteer mentor from within Children’s Services. These mentors were given training in the faculty before starting to meet and
share with the students throughout the year. The group of mentors also met with
steering committee members during the year, and most are enthusiastic about their
role in the project.
As Margot is also Faculty Field Coordinator and involved in agency visits, she got
to know the ten students and their mentors quite well and could observe first-hand
how they integrated good learning and practice experience. The Child Welfare
course is currently an elective and this year not all of the ten students chose to
take the course. Both Margot and Linda feel that this course is necessary as a base
of knowledge on which to build, so next year the course will be compulsory. To
facilitate this, the Faculty is offering it in both Winter and Spring sessions.
10th Biennial
Conference
on Canadian Social
Welfare Policy
June 17-20, 2001
University of Calgary,
Calgary, AB
In recent years, the notion of welfare
and the redistribution of wealth in
Canadian society has been steadily
redefined and redirected to the
benefit of the established and
powerful. This has profound
implications for the immediate and
long-term health and welfare of all
Canadians. “Wealth, Health and
Welfare: Tensions and Passions” is the
theme of the 10th Biennial Conference
on Canadian Social Welfare Policy,
being held at the University of
Calgary. Individuals interested in
attending this conference are asked to
contact Margaret-Anne Stroh,
Conference Coordinator, University of
Calgary Conference Management
Services at [email protected].
Social Work and Child Welfare
experts across the country
believe that a generalist social
work education combined with
job-specific training is the best
way to prepare social workers to
work in child welfare.
Student feedback has been encouraging—students appreciate the expertise from
Faculty and Practice, feeling that one adds credibility to the other. The program
will also be evaluated independently. Edmonton Division graduate Truman
Severson has been hired to evaluate the three-year project and to follow up with
students and mentors as they move into child protection work.
All ten students will have the opportunity to take part in the Child Welfare Certification Interview even if they ultimately choose not to work in this area. The program also acts as a self-screening tool. “It is valid to use this experience to explore
whether this is the right practice setting for them,” said Linda. Margot pointed
out that a couple of this year’s students who participated just to learn more about
Child Welfare felt at the end of the year that this was an area in which they wanted
to work. Greater knowledge of the reality of working in Child Welfare will ultimately lead to better practice, less burnout and less turnover.
If the pilot project is successful, the Faculty will look to expanding it to other regions and also adapting it to different areas of practice. “It establishes credibility
for the Faculty and Children’s Services,” said Margot, “and also confronts the old
criticism of ‘town versus gown.’ ”
Social Work and Child Welfare experts across the country believe that a generalist social work education combined with job-specific training is the best way to
prepare social workers to work in child welfare. Margot agrees: “This program will
give students the building blocks to become more skilful and knowledgeable practitioners and thereby better serve vulnerable children and their families.” ■
— Hazel Sangster
Spring␣ 2001
■
33
■ REVIEW ■
Remembering Honey
Elaine Hogg. Nimbus Publishing. ISBN 1-55109-336-7. Price 7.95 (plus S&H)
R
emembering Honey is an award-winning story of growing up, and growing older. The companionship and love of a pet, Honey,
makes the young people in this story happy and content. Honey is a wonderful addition to the family and like all living things,
grows and matures along with her human companions. Eventually, however, Honey’s human companions must face the fact
that Honey will die. The way the young people deal with the tragedy of loss is very movingly portrayed in this first children’s book, by
Elaine Hogg.
Loss and bereavement are part of our lives, young and old, and the loss of a beloved pet is painful and emotional for children
and adults. This story helps children come to terms with a common and painful experience and encourages them to think
about what they can keep and cherish of their relationship when they lose a favorite animal friend.
Remembering Honey is a perfect vehicle for parents, caregivers, hospital staff and veterinarians, to help children through the
process of understanding loss and grief. Hogg has spent over a decade working with the Strait Richmond Palliative Care
Society.
“The subject matter is dealt with in an excellent manner, allowing the young children to mourn the loss of their pet in a
very natural way. This book is very well written and is believable and realistic. It would be most useful to young readers
who may be dealing with this issue/problem in their lives.”
— Shannon Danylko
Quoted recently in Volume 6 #1, Resource Links Newsletter. Connecting
Classrooms, Libraries & Canadian Learning Resources where Remembering
Honey earned an “E” (Excellent) rating.
More information about Resource Links can be found at www.atlc.ca ■
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34
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Spring␣ 2001
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■ REVIEW ■
Family Group Conferencing
Reviewer: Butch Nutter, PhD, RSW,
Professor Emeritus of Social Work, University of Calgary
F
amily Group Conferencing is a stunningly good set of essays on community based family prac
tice. Although the focus is on Family Group Conferencing (FGC) as developed in New Zealand
and widely practiced in Australia, Europe, and North America, it also contains essays about
several related practice methods such as social network theory and the wraparound process.
Family Group
Conferencing:
New directions in
Family Group Conferencing begins with five essays on FGC’s origins and philosophical framework. In his “Searching for the Roots of Conferencing,” Rupert Ross calls upon his extensive
experience with Canadian Aboriginal restorative processes. This is followed by an excellent
essay by Catherine Love on the cultural origins, sharing, and appropriation of this model
from the Maori of New Zealand. Love’s examination of the Maori view of self is, by itself,
worth the price of the book.
The second section contains eleven essays on practice frameworks. This is followed in section three by ten essays on methods of practice. The final section presents four essays on
evaluating FGC programs. In other words, this book starts with the philosophical underpinnings and ends with examples of systematic empirical appraisal: the whole tour.
community-centered
child & family practice
Gale Burford and Joe
Hudson, editors. Aldine
de Gruyter, New York,
2000. (338 pages)
In addition to a general introduction, Burford and Hudson masterfully introduce each of the
five sections. These editors gathered a stellar cast of contributors, nearly four dozen, and
then gave them the freedom to use a wide variety of styles to convey their messages. For
example, some chapters have dozens of references. Others have none.
I have chatted with several social work colleagues about this book. Many of whom initially
respond with things like, “Oh, we’ve been doing family conferencing for years.” As the conversations continue, it becomes readily apparent that—in the sense so richly described by
Burford, Hudson, and their contributors—the people I have talked to have not been doing
Family Group Conferencing.
Family Group Conferencing is not a universally applicable panacea. It will not solve all child
and family problems. And, like any complex and powerful practice method, FGC should not
be attempted by the unskilled on the cheap. But this book is a very good read. Every social
worker in child and family practice should read this book. They should not then rush out
and attempt to do Family Group Conferencing, but they should know it exists as an option.
A careful read of this book will give them that knowledge. ■
Your household and the 2001 Census
Census Day in Canada is May 15, 2001.
During the first two weeks of May more than 11.8 million
households will receive a Census of Population
questionnaire. The success of the Census depends on the
participation of everyone who lives in Canada. On Tuesday,
May 15th, don’t forget to “count yourself in”!
Spring␣ 2001
■
35
■ FOR YOUR INFORMATION ■
Conferences,
Symposiums
AAMFT Annual Conference
April 19-21, 2001
Banff, Alberta
6th World Congress on Stress,
Trauma & Coping
April 18-22, 2001
Baltimore, Maryland
The Alberta Association for Marriage
and Family Therapy is pleased to
present Dr. Dorothy Becvar at our annual conference being held in Banff,
Alberta from April 19-21, 2001. Dorothy
will be speaking on “Family Transition
and Change: Bringing Resilience to
New Heights.”
For more information, call 1-877-4355070. Early bird registration rates are
available.
The International Critical Incident
Stress Foundation (ICISF) is presenting its sixth World Congress on Stress,
Trauma and Coping in Baltimore,
Maryland from April 18 to 22, 2001.
The Conference is entitled “Crisis Intervention: Lessons Learned...Challenges
for the Future” and the keynote speaker
for the event is Lt. Col. Dave Grossman,
one of the world’s foremost experts on
human aggression. Topics of interest
include: Pastoral Crisis Intervention;
adapting CISM for schools; and treating psychological trauma & PTSD. For
more information, please contact the
ICISF at (410) 750-9600 or visit their
web site at www.icisf.org.
Ninth Gerontology Institute
May 7-11, 2001 , Calgary, AB
Mount Royal College has planned a
five-day program designed for those
who work with older adults. Each day
focuses on some aspect of vulnerability:
social, spiritual, physical, psychological
and caregiver.
For more information, please call
(403) 240-6867.
2001 National Healthcare
Leadership Conference &
Exhibition
June 4-6, 2001
Winnipeg Convention Centre,
Winnipeg, Manitoba
For more information about this Conference, please contact the Secretariat
at (613) 241-8005 Ext. 226 or visit
www.cchse.org/leadership.
3rd International Conference
on Social Work
in Health & Mental Health
July 1-5, 2001, Tampere, Finland
For more information on this international gathering of professionals concerned with education research,
management and practice of Social
Work in health and mental health, contact: Andre Roy, Hotel-Dieu de Levis,
143 rue Wolfe, Levis, Quebec G6V 3Z1
or visit <www.uta.fi/~swhealth/>.
Continued on page 37
Presents
Aggressive Teens
Working With Threatening and Violent Adolescents
A Clinical Workshop by
Dr. Daniel Davis
Dr. Davis is a forensic and adolescent psychologist in Columbus, Ohio. He is the author of “The Aggressive and Resistant Adolescent: Clinical and Forensic Issues” published by Haworth Press. He also co-authored “An MMPI-A
Casebook.” Dr. Davis holds an academic appointment in the Department of Psychiatry of the Ohio State University.
The Workshop
This workshop will present a multi-modal assessment and treatment approach to dealing with aggressive behaviour in
teens. Participants will gain an understanding of the theories of the origin of adolescent aggression, up-to-date assessment strategies, and current treatment approaches with aggressive adolescents. Psychotherapy techniques to address
the youths’ resistance to engagement and involvement in treatment will be a central feature.
Edmonton, Thursday April 26; Saskatoon, Friday April 27; Calgary, Saturday April 28, 2001
To receive a brochure or to register please call: PTG - Professional Training Group. Earlybird rate before March 26, 2001
Phone (toll free): 1-877-821-8616, Fax: (403) 245-4551 In Calgary: 229-2120
E-mail: [email protected]
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Spring␣ 2001
■ FOR YOUR INFORMATION ■
Continued from page 36
3rd Canadian HIV/AIDS
Skills Building Symposium
July 6-9, 2001
Delta Centre-Ville, Montreal, PQ
This national skills building event offers training and networking opportunities to the professionals and lay
people working/living with or affected
by HIV/AIDS. Several learning streams
will be available for participants and
the symposium will also include an exhibit hall and self-care centre.
For more information, please contact
Lilja Jonsdottir at 1-800-499-1986 Ext.
116 or (613) 230-3580 Ext. 116 or visit
www.cdnaids.ca.
Network Against Violence
Conference
“Ending Violence One Step at a
Time”
November 1 & 2, 2001
Slave Lake, Alberta
The Network Against Violence (NAV)
is hosting a conference focusing on the
themes of violence and abuse prevention. Topics may include: awareness of
violence and abuse; violence and vulnerable populations; issues in primary
and secondary schools.
For more information, please contact
Brenda Joyce at 1-780-849-8644, email: [email protected], or Janet
Ross at 1-780-849-7359.
Workshops, Courses
3rd Annual Summer Institute
Friday, August 24, 2001
Red Deer College
Central Region’s 3rd Annual Summer Institute will be held Friday, August 24, 2001 at Red Deer College.
For more information, contact Area
Coordinators Colleen Palichuk (780)
324-5479, e-mail [email protected]
or Derryn Yeomans (780) 342-2252, email: [email protected]
13th National Conference on
Learning Disabilities
September 27-29, 2001
Halifax, Nova Scotia
The Conference (“Time to Learn—
Time to Celebrate”) will see an estimated 1, 000 delegates over a three day
period at the World Trade and Convention Centre in downtown Halifax. This
conference will be of interest to any
helping professional or lay person who
work to help individuals with learning
disabilities reach their full potential.
For more information, contact Paige
McDicken at (902) 423-2850 or check
out the conference web site at
www.nsnet.org/ldans.
Enstasy Spiritual Process
The word “enstasy” comes from the
Greek and means “to stand within.”
This workshop provides the time, space,
process and atmosphere to allow you to
do significant spiritual work. This
workshop is ideal for clinicians who
wish to ground their work in spirituality or for anyone desiring to develop or
strengthen a spiritual identity.
For an information package, please
call Peggy Voth, MSW, RSW, or Blair
Collins, BA, BTh, RSW, at (403) 2863177.
Professional Development
Workshops
AIDS Calgary
AIDS Calgary Awareness Association
is offering a number of professional
development workshops. Topics include: “Stigma & Discrimination in the
Workplace” and “Caring for the Caregiver—HIV/AIDS and Healthcare Professionals.”
For more information, call (403)
508-2500 or see www.aidscalgary.org.
Addictions Studies
Certificate Program
If you are interested in obtaining
training in the area of addiction treatment and counseling, please contact the
Faculty of Extension (University of
Alberta) at (780) 492-1857 or visit their
web site at www.extension.ualberta.ca/
addictions.
Specialized Courses in Play Therapy
The Rocky Mountain Play Therapy
Institute is offering two specialized
courses in play therapy for the spring
and fall of 2001. “The Foundations of
Play Therapy” (Spring 2001) and
“Advanced Play Therapy” (Fall 2001)
will be available at the Institute in
Calgary.
For more information, please call
(403) 245-5981.
DSM-IV Training Workshops
with Dr. Carlton Munson
March 14, 2001 in Edmonton
March 15, 2001 in Calgary
The Alberta Mental Health Board
and the University of Calgary’s Faculty
of Social Work are co-sponsoring two
workshops with Dr. Carlton Munson, a
renowned trainer of mental health professionals in the use of the DSM-IV.
For more information about these
valuable training opportunities, please
contact Darleen in Calgary at (403) 2205943 or Leslie in Edmonton at (780)
492-1478.
“Treating Chronically Suicidal &
Self-Harming Clients/Patients”
March 15-17, 2001
Ft. McMurray, AB
A workshop with Dr. John Livesley is
being presented in Fort McMurray on
March 15-17, 2001. There will be separate sessions for medical professionals,
helping professionals and the general
public, including clients and their
families.
For more information, please contact
Karen at (780) 743-7910.
Spirit Links Workshop
Seasons of the Creative Feminine
March 24, 2001
Edmonton, AB
Spirit Links presents Seasons of the
Creative Feminine: A Women’s Spirit
Circle with Audrey Whitson, MA, RSW.
Continued on page 38
Spring␣ 2001
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37
■ FOR YOUR INFORMATION ■
Continued from page 37
Participants will explore the lives of
three great women artists of the 20th
Century—Frida Kahlo, Dorothy
Knowles, and Georgia O’Keefe—and
the forces which shaped their images of
body, land and spirit.
For more information, please call
(780) 487-7310 or visit their web site at
www.spiritlinks.org.
Maintaining Healthy Family
Connections in Adoption:
Therapeutic Issues and
Implications
Friday, April 6, 2001
Calgary, Alberta.
This is an all-day workshop with
Patricia Martinez Dorner, well known
adoption professional, therapist and coauthor of Children of Open Adoption.
As children move into adoptive homes,
it becomes essential to examine how to
meet their mental health needs. An
important pathway involves maintaining relationships with their birth families. This workshop will focus on the
options that maximize positive outcomes at the time of placement and as
children grow. Patricia Dorner brings a
wealth of knowledge and experience to
this workshop and most recently was
honored with the 1999 Baran & Pannor
Award for outstanding contributions to
adoption.
For more information call Adoption
By Choice (403) 245-8854 or e-mail
[email protected] or visit ABC
website: www.adoptionbychoice.ab.ca.
Steroid Use Among Youth
April 6 & 7, 2001
Edmonton, AB
The Addictions Studies Certificate
Program is offering a two-day workshop
addressing the many issues surrounding steroid use in young people. This
course is an elective of the Program and
is open to anyone interested. Please call
Loma Linda University
Marital & Family Therapy
Master of Science Degree
Marriage and Family Therapy is an established
and growing profession. Earn a Master of
Science Degree in Marital and Family Therapy
while taking advantage of the financial benefits
of studying in Canada.
For more information
(403) 782-3381, Ext. 4095
[email protected]
or visit our website
www.llu.edu/llu/grad/mfam/canada
♦ Theory integrated with
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Clinical Training
Current systems
approaches to treating
couples & families
Flexible program with
full or part-time studies,
and certificate programs
Commuter friendly: one
day/week on campus
plus monthly intensives
Courses work toward
professional affiliation
with AAMFT and APA
Many career
opportunities
A P P L I C A T I O N S ␣ N O W ␣ B E I N G ␣ A C C E P T E D
F O R ␣ F A L L ␣ 2 0 0 1
C a n d i d a t e s ␣ m u s t ␣ h a v e ␣ a ␣ 4 - y e a r ␣ B a c c a l a u r e a t e
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Spring␣ 2001
Connie Wildman at (780) 492-5532 for
more information and to register.
Public Lecture April 26, 2001
and Workshop April 27, 2001
with Dr. Larry Silver
The Calgary Learning Centre is
pleased to present a public lecture (Apr.
26, 2001) and professional workshop
(Apr. 27, 2001) with Dr. Larry Silver,
who has focused much of his thirty year
career on the psychological, social and
family impact of a group of related neurological disorders—Learning Disabilities, Language Disabilities, Sensory
Integration Dysfunction and Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
For more information or to register,
please contact the Calgary Learning
Centre at (403) 686-9300.
Workshop with
Dr. Toni Cavanaugh Johnson
April 26 & 27, 2001
Lethbridge, AB
This two-day workshop will provide
informative training regarding healthy
and unhealthy sexual behavior in children; assessment and testing materials; placement decisions; treatment
modalities; therapeutic goals; and selfcare for the practitioner.
To receive a workshop brochure, contact Lethbridge Family Services at
(403) 327-5724.
Workshop:
“Understanding the
Neuropsychology of
Challenging Children”
April 27 & 28, 2001
Red Deer, AB
NuWay Consulting Services is offering a two-day seminar with Dr. Steven
G. Gray entitled “Checking under the
Hood: Who Really is this Child?” The
focus of this workshop is to understand
the neuropsychology of challenging
children.
For more information, please contact
NuWay at (403) 341-3773.
Continued on page 39
■ FOR YOUR INFORMATION ■
Continued from page 38
Art Making in CISD
with Children & Youth
April 28, 2001, Calgary, AB
This one-day workshop will introduce art making as a tool to increase
the effectiveness of the traditional verbal Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
(CISD)procedure with children and
youth. Participants will experience a
number of directed as well as unstructured, spontaneous activities. This
workshop is not training in CISD, participants are expected to have some familiarity with the CISD model.
For more information, call (403) 2455981.
Tune-Up for Suicide Intervention
May 11, 2001
This one-day workshop (8:30 AM to
4:30 PM) offers people who have previously taken the ASIST—Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training to
review the intervention process. This
workshop is only for those individuals
who have attended ASIST within the
last three years.
For more information, please contact
the Canadian Mental Health Association—Alberta North Central Region at
(780) 414-6300 or visit their web site at
www.cmhaancr.ab.ca.
General
Suicide Awareness Week
March 12-17, 2001
March 12-17, 2001 is Suicide Awareness Week in Alberta. Suicide is the
leading cause of death for people ages
25-39 and the second leading cause of
death for Albertans between 10 and 24.
Currently in Alberta, if a male dies before the age of fifty, the cause of death
is most likely suicide. Although
Alberta’s suicide rate of 14.4 per
100,000 has been decreasing in recent
years, it is still among the highest in
the country.
For more information, call David
Bray at (780) 427-7164.
Alberta Joints in Motion Training
Team for the Arthritis Society
Professional Development
Opportunity
Join the fight against arthritis by becoming a member of the Joints in Motion
Training Team, which will participating
in two marathons in 2001—the Suzuki
Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego
(June 2001) and the Lausanne, Switzerland Marathon (October 2001).
For more information, please call (780)
424-1740 (Edmonton) or (403) 228-2571
(Calgary).
The Canadian Centre for Mediation
Inc. offers a number of professional development opportunities for social
workers.
Call (403) 245-2828 for more information or visit www.ccmediation.com for
more details about available workshops
and services.
Make A Dream Come True (Lions)
Society
This society’s mission is to serve those
terminally ill adults who are without financial means make their final wish
come true. All monies collected are
placed in an endowment fund to assist
men and women 18 years or older who
are terminally ill and have a final wish
for a particular journey or experience, but
cannot afford to carry it out. For more
information, please contact Samuel Tam,
MSW, RSW, at (780) 438-0608.
Information:
Family Violence Prevention in
Alberta
If you are looking for information on
family violence prevention in the province of Alberta, then information is
available through the Office for the Prevention of Family Violence, 11th Floor,
Seventh Street Plaza, 10030 - 107
Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4. The
office provides various materials (i.e.
brochures, booklets, information
sheets) free of charge.
Call (780) 422-5916 for more information. ■
L OMA L INDA U NIVERSITY
Presents a rare visit by
DAVID
EPSTON
IN EDMONTON MARCH 29 & 30, 2001
Playful Approaches to Working with Children
and Adolescents
To register or receive more information about the David Epston
Conference please contact Lori Ens at:
403-782-3381, Ext. 4095 or e-mail: [email protected]
Spring␣ 2001
■
39
IF UNDELIVERABLE PLEASE RETURN TO:
Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW)
#550, 10707 - 100 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 3M1, Canada
Canadian Mail Product Sales Agreement
No. 0528803
ISSN 0847 - 2890
Date of Issue: FEBRUARY 2001
■ NEW REGISTRANTS ■
Total membership as of
JANUARY 19, 2001:
3,882
Mary Abel
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Andre Cyril Anthony Almeida
Bertha E Alook
Maggeta Joy Anderson
Sarah Andrews-Luft
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Richard Campbell
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40
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Karen Joan Cardinal
Sharon E Carifelle
Pamela M Carpenter
Helen Rita Carrier
Patricia Ann Carruthers
Lynn Verda Caudron
Liza May Yee Chan
Alice S Charland
Lisa Dawn Chittenden
Patricia Caroline Susan ChruschPage
Ewa Chwieko
Marilyn Faye Cochrane
Tania Maria Sarah Coffey
Theresa Marie Coker
Sandra Mary Cole
Glenys Mary Coleman
Joan M Conibear
Dianna L Connors
Lorena Lynne Coombes
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David C Corra
Ron Guy Cowan
Margot Erin Crane
Catherine LL Crow
Michael Alan Cue
Susan DaBreo
Arlene Dahl
Meadow Kathleen Shannondoah
Dann
Angele Daoust
Michele Deis
Nora Jolayne Deisman
Charlotte Marvel Dennehy
Lottie Florence Devontree
June Caroline Dick
Dennis C Dickason
Roxanne C Droppo
Laura Margaret Ducharme
Marvin G Dueck
Cheryl Beatrice Duncan
Melanie Lynn Dunford
Arlene Lillian Ehl
Stephen Norman Emblem
June Emery
Roberta Heather Emmons
Christine Vanessa Evans
Lisa Marie Fajnor
Marcene Felaber Pisak
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Patricia Gail Fisher
Anne Fitzpatrick
Bryan Eddie Flack
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Donna Marie Forsyth
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Darlis Freeson
Spring␣ 2001
Jodi French
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Elizabeth Alice Gifford Edgerton
Susan Zeller Gilbert
Judy Gillis
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Fiona Dubourg Gironella
Pauline Marie Gladue (Young)
Nadene M Glass
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Lisa Gover
Paul B Graham
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Allan L Grandison
Michelle M Green
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Bart James Haddow
Darlene M Hager
Erin Colleen Haiste
James T Haleschuk
Robert George Halfyard
Gail Georgina Hall
Carrie A Hamilton
David Alan Hammel
Deborah Laura Hammond
Erin Gayle Harvey
Shelina Nizarali Hassanali
Melody Ruth Hay
Alana Lori Healy
Viki Charlane Hedlund
Mary-Joan Bernadette
Catherine Heide
Gordon J Hein
Amber Rose Hempel
Wayne K Hill
T Lynne Hodgins
Elizabeth I Holt
Susan A Holt
Tammy Lynn Holt
Lorna Ellen Hoogewoonink
Marlyn Patterson Horton
Michele Renee Hunt
Trudy Rowena Ann Hunt
Doris Hunter
Louise Phyllis Hutchinson
Susan Joan Hutton
Darcy Irwin
Marlene Joyce Iverson
James Anthony Izyk
Debra Ann Jackson
Heather L Jacobs
Glenn E Jankowiak
Frances Velma Johnson
Shirley Johnson
Wanda J Johnson
Kathleen G Johnston
Debra Jean Jones
Theo Douglas Jones
April Michelle Jordon
Rhoda Joseph
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Kevin Michael Kasper
Joan Keating
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Janice Linklater
Matthew Lipton
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