981-06-2016 Advocate Summer

SUMMER 2016
www.acsw.ab.ca
the
ADVOCATE
VOLUME 42 | ISSUE 2
ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS
Social Work Week Podcasts
with RSWs Brianna, Molly & Stephanie
2 Summer 2016
FEATURES
The Advocate
Volume 42, Issue 2, Summer 2016
18 FEATURE ARTICLES
18 THE TRIUMPH OF SUN WOMAN AND THE NOBLE DISCIPLE by Minister Faust
22 CAN BE DONE by Verna Wittigo
30 DAY IN THE LIFE: ELIZABETH SCHNITZLER by Tara Hogue Harris
4
AROUND OUR PROVINCE
4 AROUND OUR PROVINCE by Charity Lui
9 LETTER TO THE EDITOR
10
THE BIG PICTURE
10 A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT by Richard Gregory
11 A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & REGISTRAR by Lynn Labrecque King
13
IN THE NEWS
WELCOME TO OUR NEW RSW MEMBERS
Published by:
The Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW)
550 10707 100 AVE NW, Edmonton AB T5J 3M1
Ph: 780-421-1167/Toll-free (in AB): 1-800-661-3089
Fax: 780-421-1168/Toll-free fax: 1-866-874-8931
[email protected] — acsw.ab.ca
Executive Director & Registrar:
Lynn Labrecque King, MSW, RSW
[email protected]
Managers, Regulatory Practice/Complaints Directors:
Bruce Llewellyn, MSW, RSW
Sheryl Pearson, MSW, RSW, LLB
[email protected]
Professional Practice Support Team Lead:
Vacant
Membership Activities Coordinators:
Heather Johnson, SW Dip, RSW
Charity Lui, BSW, RSW
Finance & Administration Officer:
Gladys Smecko, CPA, CGA
Registration Coordinator: Brenda Gross
14
ETHICS IN ACTION
REPORTING COMPETENCE ONLINE: ONE YEAR LATER by Bruce Llewellyn
15
THE VOICES OF PRIVATE PRACTICE
THE BATTLEGROUND? by Teresa Winfield
16
RESEARCH & LEARNING IN ALBERTA’S COMMUNITIES
16 INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION by Danielle Fink
17 NORQUEST SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM IN DEMAND by David Flomo
23
CONFERENCE AND AWARDS
23 SOCIAL WORKERS GATHER TO EMBRACE CHANGE: ACSW CONFERENCE 2016
27 ACSW 2016 AWARD WINNERS
28 ACSW STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
34
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
8 THE ADVOCATE EDITORIAL POLICY
34 FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Cover photos by Chris Chang-Yen Phillips (small bottom left) and Trevor
Chow-Fraser (small bottom right and main).
The opinions and interpretations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Alberta
College of Social Workers (ACSW), its editorial board, or contractors. The aforementioned make no guarantee or
warranty, either expressed or implied, about the accuracy or links contained in the Advocate, and are not liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages that could arise.
All material ©2016 by the ACSW or by author. ACSW retains copyright when no author is listed. Reprint or
copying (including digital or online reproduction in any form) of any Advocate material requires written consent
of the ACSW.
Executive Assistant / Administrative Team Lead:
Noreen Majek
Promotions Coordinator:
Vacant
Administrative Support Professionals:
Theresa Duban Neetu Dodd Tracy Houben
Jennifer Vasquez Tamara Gross Raveena Parsons
Registration/Online Service Support Analyst:
Laurie Nelson
ACSW Council:
President: Richard Gregory, MSc, RSW
Vice President: Linda Golding, MSW, RSW
Secretary: Rick Guthrie, MSW, RSW
Treasurer: Terry Wilson, BSW, RSW
Members at Large:
Margaret Brown, MSW, RSW Richard Shelson, MSc, RSW
Ajay Pandhi, MSW, RSW Shamanthi Cooray, RSW
Carla Bertsch, MSW, RSW Jody-Lee Farrah, MSW, RSW
Indigenous Social Work Committee Representative:
Maxine Salopree, BSW, RSW, Interim Chair
Public Members:
Lyle Berge Murray Hiebert Bukola Salami
Editorial Board:
Cindy Haugen, BSW, RSW & Samuel Mammen, RSW (Co-Chairs)
Jill Hoselton, BSW, RSW Michelle Humeny, RSW
Corrine Janzen, BSW, RSW Jo-Anne Beggs, BSW, RSW
Tasha Novick, BSW, RSW Sherri Tanchak MSW, RSW
Andrea Newberry-Koroluk, PhD, RSW Melanie Sawatzky, BSW, RSW
Editorial services provided by Bird Communications.
ADVERTISING SPACE is available. To place an ad contact
Charity Lui at the ACSW office ([email protected]). The
Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertising.
FALL 2016 ISSUE AD DEADLINE: JULY 15, 2016
Canadian subscriptions are $26/year
(outside Canada: $26 US/year). Please notify ACSW office
immediately of any address changes.
ISSN 0847 - 2890
PM NO. 40050109
RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO
550 10707 100 AVE NW, EDMONTON AB T5J 3M1
The Advocate 3
AROUND OUR PROVINCE
Around our province
by Charity Lui, BSW, RSW
ACSW Election Results
ACSW Workshops & Events
Congratulations to newly elected ACSW Council members
Carla Bertsch, MSW, RSW, and Jody-Lee Farrah, MSW, RSW.
Margaret Brown, MSW, RSW, was re-elected for a second term
on Council. Terry Wilson, BSW, RSW, was acclaimed treasurer
and Rick Guthrie MSW, RSW was acclaimed secretary. Thank
you to retiring members Linda Fehr, MSW, RSW and Alec
Stratford, MSW, RSW who have stepped down from Council.
The College continues to support workshops and events
throughout the province.
ACSW Staff Changes
Farewell to Ilona Cardinal, Promotions Coordinator, who
was with ACSW for over eight years. Ilona has taken a
position with the Alberta College of Paramedics. We also
say goodbye to Alec Stratford, MSW, RSW, who was in the role
of Manager, Professional Practice Supports. We wish him
well as Executive Director and Registrar of the Nova Scotia
Association of Social Workers.
In January, Tamina Miller led a workshop on meditation
in Vegreville, while in High Prairie, a workshop on healthy
relationships for adults who work with children was led by
Ericka Schmaltz, BSW, RSW. Also in January, the Edmonton
Social Action/Social Justice Group hosted a movie night.
Members of Council and other ACSW groups enjoyed the
movie Inequality for All.
In February, ACSW staff Alec Stratford, MSW, RSW, and
Tamara Gross presented workshops related to continuing
competency in Lac La Biche and Cold Lake. Grande Prairie
area coordinators hosted a workshop about the impacts of
residential schools and the restorative practice of a circle
with Sharon Steinhauer, MSW, RSW. Also in February was
Parkland Institute’s 10th Annual Fundraising Gala Dinner
featuring Alberta author and commentator Fred Stenson.
Local social workers at Grande Prairie workshop
Lynn Labrecque King, Ilona Cardinal and Charity Lui
4 Summer 2016
CHARITY LUI is the Membership Activities Coordinator for
the northern part of our province. You can contact her at
[email protected] regarding submissions for the Advocate.
AROUND OUR PROVINCE
Social Work Week Events
National Social Work Month in Canada is observed in
March. Alberta recognized Social Work Week between
February 29 and March 5. Official proclamations and
recognition from municipal governments occurred in
Whitecourt, Slave Lake, Edmonton, Calgary, Fort McMurray
– Wood Buffalo, Peace River and Grande Prairie.
At Parkland Gala: Alec Stratford, Marg Brown, Natasha Semenjuk, Lynn
Labrecque King, Rod Adachi, Shamanthi Cooray, Ajay Pandhi
The Calgary Area Coordinators hosted a workshop in
March on resiliency in children and youth with Dr. Carolyn
Anderson, PhD., RSW, and Dr. Meaghen Johnston, PhD., RSW.
March 9th, the Lethbridge Social Work Forum brought
together local social workers to celebrate the profession
and offer local professional development. The theme of the
forum was Trauma: The Community, The Individual, and the
Practitioner with keynote speaker Dr. Robbin Gibb.
In April, ACSW Manager of Regulatory Practice /
Complaints Director Sheryl Pearson, MSW, RSW, LLB, presented
a workshop on the Standards of Practice in Fort McMurray.
The area coordinators in Cold Lake organized a miniconference with presenters Donna Fries, RSW, who explored
grief, and Melanie Diamond and Elena Rowan, MSW, RSW,
who provided experiential learning around self-care. The
Northern Alberta Gerontological Interest Group met with
the Interim Seniors’ Health Advocate Deborah Prowse, and
Jody-Lee Farrah, MSW, RSW, a manager at the office of the
Alberta Health Advocates. Lack of affordable ethical advice
for seniors, the shortage of seniors’ housing, and difficulties
with home care were discussed.
This year the College used a social media campaign to
engage our members and the public. Included in the
campaign were podcasts featuring three registered social
workers: Brianna Olson, BSW, RSW, who works with iHuman;
Stephanie Bozzer, MSW, RSW, a clinical social worker in
private practice; and Molly Wan, MSW, RSW, with Edmonton
Mennonite Centre, as featured on our cover. Eye-catching
posters, and a YouTube message from our President Richard
Gregory, MSc, RSW, were also part of the campaign. Please see
these initiatives on our site at acsw.ab.ca – Social Workers –
Social Work Week.
Throughout the province our members celebrated social
work in many ways during the month of March, including:
• Minister of Human Services Irfan Sabir, Minister
of Seniors and Housing Lori Sigurdson, MSW, RSW,
Edmonton-Manning MLA Heather Sweet and
Edmonton-Castle Downs MLA Nicole Goehring joined
ACSW staff and members for a celebratory lunch.
Honourary social workers Bill Moore-Kilgannon and
Austin Mardon also joined the special event. Thank you
to all who attended!
• Student presentations in Fort McMurray at Keyano
College, in Lethbridge at the University of Calgary
Lethbridge campus, in Edmonton at the University of
Calgary Edmonton campus, at NorQuest College and
MacEwan University.
• Lunch celebrations in Whitecourt and Edson.
• Promoting Social Work Week on local radio in High
Prairie and Grande Prairie.
Northern Alberta Gerontological Interest Group with Seniors’ Health Advocate
Deborah Prowse and Jody-Lee Farrah
The Advocate 5
AROUND OUR PROVINCE
• Family School Liaison Workers/Social Workers in Early
Learning at Edmonton Catholic Schools decided to “Stuff
a Purse”. The purses were filled with a variety of items
needed for women and delivered to Bissell Centre.
• A yoga event celebration for local social workers in Edmonton.
• Pub night celebrations in Edmonton and Fort McMurray.
• A drumming self-care activity in Edmonton hosted by the
Child and Youth Interest Group.
• A celebration with cake in Hinton and Jasper.
Edmonton social work week celebration at ACSW office
• A wine and cheese event in Medicine Hat.
• Social workers in High Level, Cheryl CunninghamBurns, MSW, RSW, and Emily Horeck, BSW, RSW, were featured in the Northwest Primary Care
Network newsletter.
• At the Lac La Biche campus of Portage College, cake was
shared over a lunch hour and an information display was
set up throughout the week.
• Social workers in Taber celebrated by providing
information sessions at a local high school. Also in Taber,
social workers gathered for a wing night.
MLA Goehring, Minister Sabir, Lynn Labrecque King, Minister Sigurdson, MLA
Sweet at Edmonton social work week celebration
6 Summer 2016
Sean, Stanley, Maxine & Brianna at Edmonton social work week celebration
Social workers with Edmonton Catholic Schools
AROUND OUR PROVINCE
Social work week celebration at Keyano College in Fort McMurray
Social work week celebration at University of Lethbridge
Monique Sundlie, Mieke de Groot and Grande Prairie Mayor Bill Given
Social work week celebration in Medicine Hat
Katie Byford Richardson and Tiffany Toussaint in Jasper
Social work week at Portage College in Lac La Biche
The Advocate 7
AROUND OUR PROVINCE
Advocate Board News
Thank you to Leslie MacKinnon, MSW, RSW, and Eugene Ip,
MSW, RSW, who have recently stepped down from the Advocate
Editorial Board. Leslie volunteered with the board for over
twenty years and Eugene for over twelve years. We welcome
Cindy Haugen, BSW, RSW, and Samuel Mammen, RSW, as new
co-chairs for the board.
New Area Coordinator
The High Level area now has an ACSW Area Coordinator.
Emily Horeck, BSW, RSW, has taken on the role and is eager
to engage with members in the area. You can find contact
information for all area coordinators on our website at
ascw.ab.ca – Social Workers – Area Coordinators/
Regional Activities.
ACSW Member Selected to
Contribute to ASWB
ACSW congratulates Cardinal Fomradas, MSW, RSW, who
has been selected to assist in writing exam questions for the
Association of Social Work Boards. This is an opportunity
that is open to all ACSW members when the call is sent
out via mass email. When we have Canadian members
participate, it strengthens Canadian representation on the
formation of exams used across North America.
Fort McMurray and Area Fires
Many Albertans have been impacted by the raging wild
fires. Frontline social workers from all across Alberta
have rolled up their sleeves and have been working day
and night with relief efforts. The Alberta College of Social
Workers would like to applaud all efforts aimed at alleviating
suffering and providing critical supports. This disaster is
larger than anything witnessed in Canadian history and
the road ahead is going to be a hard one for many who
have lost so much through this environmental disaster.
The ACSW is committed to reaching out to our members
affected by the fires and doing our part in recovery efforts.
We are coordinating a list of social workers providing
counselling; are offering special consideration for members
renewing their registration; and out-of- province social
workers already licensed in another province and providing
services related to the fire are eligible for temporary courtesy
registration with ACSW. For more information, contact our
office at 780-421-1167 or toll-free at 1-800-661-3089.
THE ADVOCATE EDITORIAL POLICY
The Advocate is the official publication of the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) and is published quarterly for members of
ACSW and other interested parties. The Advocate Editorial Board encourages submissions from all social work practice areas and
perspectives, including: social work research, theory, practice, and education; professional affairs; social issues; the work of the
College; member activities; continuing education and job opportunities; reviews of books, journals, and other media of interest to
social workers.
Articles of up to 1000 words and letters of up to 500 words will be considered, but publication is not guaranteed. Writing from social
workers who are ACSW members will be given preference. Copy may be edited to fit the space available or for legal or other reasons.
Please contact the ACSW office for full submission guidelines.
PUBLICATION SCHEDULE AND DEADLINES
Spring issue:
Summer issue:
Fall issue: Winter issue
January 1 deadline for general submissions (articles, letters, etc.)
April 1 for general submissions
June 28 for general submissions
October 1 for general submissions
January 15 for advertising
April 15 for advertising
July 15 for advertising
October 15 for advertising
ALL SUBMISSIONS
The Advocate, ACSW, 550 10707 100 Avenue NW, Edmonton AB T5J 3M1
ATTN: Charity Lui: [email protected] • PHONE: 780-421-1167 • TOLL-FREE: 1-800-661-3089 • FAX: 780-421-1168
8 Summer 2016
AROUND OUR PROVINCE
Letter to the Editor
Thank you, Linda, for sharing your personal experience with living in a long-term care (LTC) home
(Speaking Out for Change, The Advocate, Winter 2015). As social workers, we can learn much from the
stories of the people who live and have lived in long-term care homes, and this learning can support us
in building practices for advocacy and support in LTC homes.
Upon reflecting on our knowledge of long-term care spaces,
we approached the discussion with an understanding that
it would be unfair of us to generalize people’s experiences.
Our discussion emphasized that people are the experts on
their own lives, and that no single person’s perspective(s)
or experience(s) can represent everyone. We would like to
acknowledge that many long-term care homes work hard to
provide person-centred care and strive to support individual
needs. Many long-term care homes have environments
where a person’s wellbeing and best interest is at the forefront
of the decision-making process, and that often the person
and/or their support network is involved in decisionmaking. It is also important to note that the discussion(s) on
wellbeing in many long-term care homes is not only focused
on a person’s physical needs, but also the emotional, spiritual,
and social self. This being said, we were careful not to ignore
that there are improvements to be made in long-term care
spaces. Improvements for long-term care in Alberta should
be reflective of the stories from persons who live or have
lived in LTC homes, and work to benefit the wellbeing of the
persons moving into LTC.
Social workers working in long-term care homes can
be supportive in honouring a person’s quality of life by
being open to listening and learning about a person’s life
experiences, values, wants, preferences, and fears. A part
of our role as social workers working in long-term care is
be mindful and respectful of the abundance of changes a
person may experience when moving into an LTC home, and
of the reasons why a person is moving into a space where
a higher level of care is provided. When long-term care is
the only option, or one of few options for a person, we also
need to be mindful of the hardship(s) one may experience
when moving into an LTC space. As each individual person
is the expert on their own lives, we as social workers need
to be open to listening to our clients and their advocates.
Through listening, we can strengthen our person-centered
approaches, and better support each person’s quality of life
and experience(s) in long-term care.
Long-term care homes are spaces that are inclusive,
supporting persons with differing cognitive capacities and
physical care needs. Long-term care homes should also
be spaces where persons are supported in participating in
activities, socializing, being heard, advocating, and building
community. And as a community of social workers working
with older adults, we can advocate for choice, diversity, and
access to health care services that honor individual values
(whether that be LTC, supportive living, home care, or
palliative care at home). In doing so, we are working towards
a future where older adults have access to support that is
reflective of their values and benefits their wellbeing.
Thank you,
Lisa Mercredi, BSW, RSW and Vanessa Key, BSW, RSW,
members of ACSW Northern Alberta Gerontological
Social Work Interest Group
The Advocate 9
THE BIG PICTURE
A MESSAGE
FROM THE
PRESIDENT
As I sit down to write this submission for
the summer edition of the Advocate, the
conference is fresh on my mind. With that,
I want to start by thanking the conference
planning committee, the presenters, the
staff and the volunteers for all their work
in putting together another successful
conference. Our annual conference is one
of the largest gatherings of social workers
in North America. This is something to be
proud of, not to mention that we have great
workshops and presentations, as well as the
opportunity to connect with friends and
network with other social workers.
For me, the conference is a time to connect
with colleagues and friends who, for the
most part, I only see once a year at the
conference. My favourite event at the
conference is the awards ceremony. This
is all about celebrating the best of the
best. This year I was delighted that all the
award winners were people with whom
I have some personal or professional
history. It makes my heart sing to see these
deserving individuals being rewarded for
the contributions that they make, not just to
social work, but to society as a whole. I am
reminded of how lucky I am to have crossed
paths with such amazing people.
RICHARD GREGORY is the
president of ACSW Council.
He is also chair and instructor
of the Social Work Program
at Medicine Hat College.
You can contact Richard at
[email protected].
The keynote speaker at the conference
was Dr. Marie Wilson. I was very moved
by her presentation on the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Her role
as a commissioner of the TRC provided the
first person witness account that led to the
94 items in the Call to Action developed
by the commission. Although many of
the items are directed to various levels
of government, I believe that there are
many places that social workers can take
initiatives towards reconciliation as well as
advocating for governments to take action.
As social workers we are aware of the
overrepresentation of Indigenous people
in some of the client populations we serve.
I am not certain that all social workers
understand the intergenerational trauma
that has led to this. I think it is important
that social workers have an understanding
about the impact of residential schools and
the Sixties Scoop, and that we know the role
that social workers played in removing First
Nations children from their families.
I believe that social workers are in key
positions to implement a number of the
strategies identified by the TRC to reduce
the number of Aboriginal children in care
and advocate for changes to the systems that
perpetuate children coming into care.
Another area that we can take action on is
in social work education. We must ensure
that all social workers, including those who
have been educated outside our province,
have an understanding of Indigenous issues,
intergenerational trauma, and are prepared
to do assessments and interventions that
are culturally appropriate for Indigenous
populations. It is important that Indigenous
knowledge, Elder teachings and other
ways of knowing are built into social
work programs. This will require training
in intercultural competency, conflict
resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.
Social workers are also in positions to
work with First Nation communities to
develop practices that are relevant to the
communities we serve. The TRC identified
the need to close the gaps in health
outcomes between Aboriginal and nonAboriginal communities by addressing
issues of infant mortality, maternal health,
suicide, mental health, addictions, violence,
life expectancy, birth rates, infant and child
Continued on page 12
10 Summer 2016
THE BIG PICTURE
A MESSAGE
FROM THE
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR &
REGISTRAR
As the children of our family were growing
up, the importance of volunteering was
often talked about. No matter how busy
life got with work, school, or driving to a
merry-go-round of piano, soccer or tae
kwon do lessons, somehow, volunteering
was always in the calendar as well. Imagine
what a community would be like, I would
say, if every individual did just one thing
each year. That is a community we would
want to live in!
Summer days are a great time to kick back a
little and re-energize for busy times that, for
many of us, pick up again in the fall.
When the time
comes once again for
professional reflection
and planning, consider
whether this may be a
time to contribute to
your profession.
At ACSW, there are a multitude of
opportunities to volunteer. As a selfregulated profession, much of our
operations and the strength of our body
overall depends largely on volunteers.
Here are some opportunities you may want
to consider:
LYNN LABRECQUE KING is the
executive director and registrar
for ACSW. Contact her at
[email protected] to share your
thoughts on this or any other topic.
Run for Council! Each year there is an
opportunity for members to come forward
and let their name stand for council. ACSW
Council meets 6 to 8 times per year on a
Friday, for a full day meeting. Serving on
council offers the opportunity to engage
with colleagues on issues and challenges
facing the profession and to guide
the direction of our College and
professional association.
Serve on a Legislative Committee.
Legislative committees are authorized
through the council and legislation to
recommend processes and standards for
the profession. ACSW has four legislative
committees including: Registration
Committee, Clinical Committee,
Competence Committee and Professional
Social Work Education Committee. These
committees generally hold 4 to 6 meetings
per year. Some committees meet in person
and some meet via teleconference.
Serve on a Standing Committee.
Standing Committees of council include:
Nominations and Recruitment (also
responsible for ACSW Awards); Indigenous
Social Work; Advocate Editorial Board;
Communications; and Bursary.
Become an Area Coordinator. Area
Coordinators play an important role as
contacts for local social workers in their
region. Learn more by visiting the ACSW
website at acsw.ab.ca – Social Workers –
Area Coordinators/Regional Activities.
Join a Member Interest Group. Member
interest groups are formed by and through
the membership and are supported through
staff liaisons and association resources. A
complete listing of member interest groups
can be viewed on the ACSW website at
acsw.ab.ca – Social Workers – Member
Interest Groups.
A good question you may ask is “How do I
join a group or committee?”
The first step is to indicate your interest!
You can do this during your annual
member renewal by checking the box
The Advocate 11
THE BIG PICTURE
for a committee that interests you. This will place you on
the listings that are reviewed when there is a vacancy on
a committee. It is also a good idea to contact the College
directly to indicate your interest in participating in a group
or on a committee. For information about legislative and
governance committees, you could also be in touch with me,
the Executive Director & Registrar, at [email protected].
Membership Activities Coordinators can help you further
explore opportunities to participate in member interest
groups. Contact Charity at [email protected] or Heather
at [email protected].
Where can you find the time to volunteer? No doubt
about it. We are all busy. Fitting in time is often a matter
of choosing and scheduling – an area where most social
workers have had to become masters! Having been a single
parent with responsibilities including home, raising children,
working in a demanding job and studying for a degree, I
know first-hand the time and energy it takes to participate
in or contribute to a committee, or even a single activity. For
some, a committee that meets four times per year is more
feasible than a monthly commitment. For others, even one
activity is not doable at certain times. Perhaps at this time,
it is most important that your attention be directed to a
cause in your own neighbourhood or within your immediate
circle. Only you can decide the right time and focus for
volunteering efforts.
Some time ago, I had the opportunity to be a part of
a condominium board. This taught me a lot about the
importance of taking turns in managing the responsibilities
of a group-owned house. While one of the reasons for
belonging to a condo association is to be free of management
details, there are many decisions and tasks that still need to
be made for the overall benefit of every resident. This model
works best with participation and taking turns. ACSW is
designed as a shared house too. Consider joining the over
200 members who at any given time are taking a turn at the
tables where decisions are made, about us and for us!
Lynn Labrecque King, MSW, RSW
A message from the President
Continued from page 10
health issues, chronic diseases, illness and injury incidence,
and the availability of appropriate health services.
In all areas, social workers need to collaborate with First
Nations community leaders, Aboriginal healers and Elders.
We do not have to wait until governments decide to move
forward with the calls to action. These initiatives are
consistent with our Code of Ethics and are embedded in
social justice which is the bedrock of our profession.
In the Spring I put out a call to social workers for their
recommendations for the provincial budget. I want to
thank everyone who responded. Using the information
12 Summer 2016
that social workers submitted, I forwarded a letter to the
Finance Minister and copied it to all the ministers whose
portfolios were identified. In total, your comments covered
43 recommendations in eight different ministries. I did not
screen or prioritize the issues; rather, I presented the items
as those that were important for our members. It will serve
us well to continue to engage with various government
ministries and to build and maintain relationships. It is what
we do, and it is work that needs to be done.
Richard Gregory, MSc, RSW
IN THE NEWS
Welcome new RSWs
Total Membership as of April 21, 2016: 7,571
Kathrine Rose Acorn
Rebeca Milena Alvarez
Jane Alice Kathleen Anderton
Lyla Anne Arab
Kaitlyn Christine Atkinson
Viji Benny
Molly Benoit-Leach
Kjetrina Beshikj
Katrina Tiffany Billett
Brittany Blake
Mallory Blondeau
Cindy Lee Bockanesky
Lauren Brittany Bourassa
Kelsie Carlyle R. Brandt
Catherine Eileen Braun
Natasha Victoria Brinston
Sara Marie Budinsky
Amy Michelle Byng
Carol Ann Caines
Courtney Callahan
Jeffrey James Cann
Rasheal Andre Charles
Kathleen Joanna Porter Cheetham
Maria Luisa Bea Clair
Maegann Helen Colwell-Jaworski
Brenda Jane Cote
Larissa Dawn Crack
Sheila Joyce Crosby
Elizabeth R. Dantzler
Jamie Marie Evelyn DeGagne
Winston Tyson Desjarlais
Katherine Angela Diks
Gio Eden Dolcecore
Shanika Donalds
Camille Edwards
Aubree Ann Falk
Kathryn Ferre
Mariah Valentim Ferreira Lima
Kelli Figley
Daniel Fonkwe Nkangu
Chantala Forgie
Sarah Meagan Fowler-Roberts
Cory Francis
Alicia Friars
Angel Maria Genereux
Dakota Dawn Goddu
Greer Joanna Godfrey
Lisa Goodine
Nicole Marie Goodwin
Kelti Iris Maureen Gore
Diana Jessica Grainger
Amanda-Sue Claire Gravel
Berni Patricia Hartford
Danielle Leeann Haymour
Andrew Johnathan Hendricks
Lukasz Michael Herba
Jamie Lynn Patricia Hickey
Jamie Hodgson
Eileen Marie Hofmann
Chynna Howard
Carol Huang
Karen Veronica Hudson
Cari Ionson
Kalila Lise-Marie James
Joanna-Beth James
Gail Janjua
Carlee Jae Joe-McGuire
Charlene Denise Johnson
Shyla Johnson
Tanya Helga May Jorgensen
Jodi Lauren Joseph
Amisale Kassa
Elliott Kemmet
Natalie Kershaw
Sung Hyun Kim
Hope-Lynn Klotz
Sadeek Kottackal
Alysha Elizabeth Krassilowsky
Cara Dawn Kulbacki
Breana Lynne L’Heureux
Lana Lawrence
Noelle Chuen-lok Lee
Emilia Nicola Leroux
Joey Laureen Leslie
Arianne Anna Loki
Lina Ivonne Lopez
Kaitlyn MacFarlane
Jenna Marie MacGillivray
Christopher James Macintosh
Martha Anne MacIntyre
Katie Lynn MacKrory
Juanita Kathleen Marshall
Amanda McLellan
Samanthea McMahon
Michelle Meyer
Samuel Azinwi Mforteh
Joanne Kinya Mugambi
Dana Lee Muir
Amanda Muyser
Jason C. Nelson
Nthandoyenkosi Ntini
Erin O’Connor
Kaitlin O’Leary
Oluwatoyin Itunnuoluwa Okikiolu
Sara Marie Osman
Khadre Ali Osman
Gregory Owie
Katelyn Leanne Paquin
Amy-Nicole Patenaude
Morgan Pommells
Kayla Jane Powell
Jade Powers
Terri-lynn Pratt
Melissa Preston
Robin Proud
Stephen Martin Quinn
Sarah Elizabeth Quinn
Rinu Rajan
Janelle Lauren Richardson
Dheny Charito Rivas
Alina Roby
Sarah Mae Ruttan
Michelle Ryan
Zeenat Sajan-Ladhani
Natalia Andrea Salamanca Parra
Dyumna Sanil
Jessica Corinne Allen Shaw
Jennifer Elizabeth Sheppard
Vivian Joyce Sitting Eagle
Lynnette Leanne Slack
Alicia Jayde Smith
Natalie St-Denis
Sierra Eve Stewart
Lori Jean Swanson
Dawn Marie Thompson
Larina Tremblay
Suzanne Triance-Wright
Kim Ann Tuchscherer
Mary Elizabeth Tulip
Michelle Christine Valiquette
Maria Geertruida Herolina Van Engelen
Sini Varghese
Michelle Allyson Volkart
Salimah Nizar Walji-Shivji
Jaryn Valerie Weir
Heather Vivian Frances Westwood
Lisa Lynne Wilkey (Forgan)
Blair Vanessa Wold
Sarah L. Wood
Rosa Yolanda Wright
Sylvana Andrea Yeomans
The Advocate 13
ETHICS IN ACTION
Reporting Competence Online:
One Year Later
by Bruce Llewellyn, MSW, RSW
The regulation of health professions, including social work,
tends to be a dynamic process. For health professions in
general, many bodies have been doing online renewals
for some time. The Alberta College of Social Workers is
one of the last health professions to transition from paper
documents to online renewals. As a result, the ACSW has
been able to learn from the experiences of other regulators in
North America.
Prior to being able to renew, a social worker must first meet
continuing competence requirements. These requirements
are outlined in the Health Professions Act. The competence
requirements unique to social workers have been developed
by the Continuing Competence Committee and approved
by the ACSW Council. Maintaining competence is one
way to ensure the protection of the public. Each member
is responsible for completing their annual competence
requirements, which helps us to meet the collective
commitment of our Standards of Practice. Reporting
completed competence in the online renewal process has
helped to achieve this goal.
The goal to develop online reporting had been identified
much earlier. In 2011, the option first became available for
members to post their Professional Development Credit
forms online. The transition to reporting competence
online commenced in September 2014 for the members
who were renewing in January. After each quarter, there
was the opportunity to evaluate the program as well as
BRUCE LLEWELLYN is a manager of regulatory practice
for the Alberta College of Social Workers.
14 Summer 2016
member response. More than a full year has passed since
implementing online reporting. At this time, all registered
social workers have had the opportunity to renew through
the online system.
Over the past year, the majority of feedback from members
has been both encouraging and positive. Comments like
“user-friendly” “easy” and “simple” were repeated often.
There was also appreciation expressed to staff who assisted
members with understanding the new process.
Together with the Competence Committee and staff,
the College has worked diligently to prepare updated
presentations and resource materials that incorporate online
reporting of competence for members. If you missed the
presentation at this year’s annual conference, be on the alert
for a presentation that may be coming near you.
Although online renewal has numerous benefits, there is
always continuous improvement as programs evolve. This is
just as true for further development in tools and materials for
the competence program in our profession. In the event that
the online renewal presents challenges for you, staff support
remains readily available. Please feel free to contact Raveena
Parsons (Professional Administrative Support), Tamara
Gross (Competence Program Coordinator) or myself at
780-421-1167 or toll-free 1-800-661-3089. We will be pleased
to answer any questions or assist you with completing your
competence requirements in your online renewal.
THE VOICES OF PRIVATE PRACTICE
The Battleground?
by Teresa Winfield, MSW, RSW
I was reading an article the other day about someone who
works in adolescent mental health and they referred to
their work as a “battleground.” That caught me off guard.
I pictured stealthy ninjas with a thirst for social justice, a
knowledge of ethical practice and a skill in advocacy. Are
we in a battle? Against what? And whose side are we on? I
suppose that I never considered the work that I do to involve
weaponry but guess what? It does. It involves finely crafted
tools that practitioners have spent countless hours honing so
that they can provide the best possible service to clients. We
ponder, even toil, over the best tools to use and when.
And once you find that passion, regardless of where it lies,
the key to success in private practice could be directly linked
to your ability to communicate to a potential audience. You
must articulate who you are and what you do to the rest
of world. Allow your excitement about this topic to show
through so that others can’t help but want to know more
or believe that you can help them. And then you wait for a
response. Hope for a reply. Maybe pray.
I pictured stealthy ninjas with
a thirst for social justice, a
knowledge of ethical practice
and a skill in advocacy.
My wondering brought me to a realization that social
workers in private practice must make a decision around
what they want their battleground to be. What is your
battleground? Is it working with parents of children with
autism? Or in geriatrics? With new immigrants? Do the
inner workings of complex mental health issues pique your
passions? And if any of these things is true, will you work
in an office? Or make your car the place that you do most
of your work? Will you work with individuals? Groups?
Families? Macrosystems? There are limitless options for
social workers. And finding that thing that you want to
do can make getting up for work each day feel more like a
passion than a job.
TERESA WINFIELD is a social worker in private
practice with seventeen years of experience.
She specializes in working with youth who have
demonstrated sexually concerning behaviours
and the families who care for them.
The Advocate 15
International
Recognition for
Violence Prevention
by Danielle Fink
University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work Associate
Professor Lana Wells has been internationally recognized
as a leader in the field of domestic and family violence
prevention. In November 2015, she travelled to Geneva,
Switzerland as a panelist and presenter for the United
Nations Human Rights Council. She has been invited back
for June 2016, where she will illustrate how governments
can engage healthy men and boys as a violence
prevention strategy.
“Lana’s achievements will have a lasting impact for all,” says
Jackie Sieppert, dean of the Faculty of Social Work. “She has
been, and continues to be, a remarkable advocate for creating
social change.”
According to the Canadian Centre for Justice, domestic
violence accounts for over 12 percent of the violent crimes in
Canada every year, and that number reflects only incidents
that are reported. It is a growing concern with increasingly
complex factors.
“Family violence is a critical social issue. There’s no easy
answer or solution,” says Wells. “We need everybody working
towards a violence-free community and society.”
Wells is also the Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention
of Domestic Violence, and the founder of Shift: The Project
to End Domestic Violence. With a team of researchers,
professionals, students and partners, Wells has created
and implemented innovative strategies for the prevention
Lana Wells is receiving international recognition as a leader in family
violence prevention.
of family and domestic violence. In 2013, Shift designed
the Family Violence Prevention Framework with the
Government of Alberta. This policy document has guided
millions of dollars of investments along with policy and
legislative changes throughout Alberta. As part of this
framework, Shift partnered again with the provincial
government to design an action plan to engage men and
boys in violence prevention and to advance gender equality.
Lana’s achievements
will have a lasting
impact for all
“Our research projects are about trying to advance a primary
prevention approach to stop the violence before it starts,”
Wells explains. “Family violence is pervasive, costly, complex,
and, we believe, preventable.”
Well’s expertise and accomplishments have also garnered
many awards, including the 2016 John Hutton Memorial
award presented by the Alberta College of Social Workers,
the 2015 Alberta Human Services Inspire Award for
Leadership in Family Violence Prevention, and recognition
as a 2015 University of Calgary Peak Scholar.
DANIELLE FINK is a fourth-year student at the University of Calgary
and the Faculty of Social Work’s communications assistant.
16 Summer 2016
Photo by Riley Brandt, University of Calgary
RESEARCH & LEARNING IN ALBERTA’S COMMUNITIES
RESEARCH & LEARNING IN ALBERTA’S COMMUNITIES
NorQuest Social
Work Program
in Demand
by David Flomo
We at NorQuest believe in “moving our students a step
forward” by celebrating their diversities and creating an
inclusive environment. Among our total student population,
60% are born outside of Canada, and we speak almost
70 languages on our campuses. As a regional steward,
we provide access to adult education in Edmonton and
surrounding regions. Our services reach from Drayton
Valley to Whitecourt to Wetaskiwin, encompassing 26
communities. In all, four regional campuses complement our
two Edmonton campuses.
Work is currently underway at our downtown campus to
build the new four-storey Singhmar Centre for Learning,
slated to be open in the fall of 2017. It will feature labs,
teaching, a childcare facility, a new library, food services,
student activity spaces and an Aboriginal student centre.
In addition, we are located on traditional lands referred to as
Treaty Six territory, which serves as a reminder that we cannot
forget our past as we prepare our students and pave the way to
the future. Our Social Work Diploma program emphasizes the
value of human diversity and teaches practices within an antioppressive framework that is supportive and empowering. As
we prepare our students to meet the need for social workers
in this province, country and beyond, we also encourage them
to move on to obtain their degrees in social work. We are
also working on methodologies to indigenize the Social Work
program as part of our college-wide inclusion strategies.
With the opening of the MacEwan University Social Work
degree program this fall, it broadens the way for our college
and our social work students to endeavor for higher social
Social work week celebration at NorQuest College in Edmonton: social
work faculty members & local social workers
work education. This spring, five of our social work students,
a practicum instructor and a former social work student will
be traveling to Peru for an international practicum project.
We currently have 92 students in the social work program.
For the Fall 2016 academic year, we will be admitting 35
students; however, we currently have 117 applicants, which
indicates the need for our provincial government to increase
the accreditation of more social work degree programs. Our
social work brokering partnership with Bow Valley College
is currently underway and they are working fervently to start
their first cohort of students in the fall.
We are and always will be proud of our students and faculty
members for their leadership roles in our social work
community. Robert Marvin, one of our faculty members,
received the “Excellence in Social Work Practice” award
(see “ACSW 2016 Award Winners”, pg. 27).
We know and understand that we cannot do this work
alone, therefore we wish to extend an invitation to you to
experience what NorQuest is about. We also welcome your
partnership in any way you can because with your support,
our graduates have opportunities in social work practice.
I would love to talk to you about practicum placement
opportunities for our students if you or your staff are
interested in a supervisory experience associated with an
educational institution.
DAVID FLOMO is a social work instructor at
NorQuest College and current chair of the Health
and Community Studies faculty.
The Advocate 17
Darlene Marchuk, Edmonton, 2005
The Triumph of
Sun Woman and the
Noble Disciple
by Minister Faust
It’s surprising there aren’t more television shows, novels, and movies about social workers. After all, their careers can expose
them to the agonies of total strangers and often to dysfunctional situations. Many of them naturally internalize the trauma
they witness and the reward, all too frequently, can include burnout and depression.
That’s what makes Darlene Marchuk, MSW, RSW, and Patti
Howell, SW Dip, RSW, all the more stunning. Each woman
radiates the kindness, serenity, and joy of an early prairie
spring. Yet they themselves once dwelt in such desolation
that they faced literal death. But now they descend into the
darkness bearing a torch so others may come forth to the day.
settlers. Marchuk saw her life begin its collapse following the
suicide of her Polish-Canadian father when she was four years
old. At age fifteen, she gave birth to her first child, followed by
her second five years later, and her third five years after that.
She began drinking alcohol in her late teens to find temporary
escape from her mental and spiritual wounds.
Take Marchuk. Her Cree name, pîsim iskwew, means “Sun
Woman.” While she remembers herself as having been a
cheerful and optimistic child, her family survived Canadian
colonialism by systematically denying their Cree culture,
spirituality, and language; family members intentionally (but
silently) excluded fellow Cree as potential spouses in favour of
Broken romances and a failed marriage, relocation and
isolation, and the death of her mother in a car accident led her
to the University of Alberta Hospital in a dying body. As she
writes in an autobiographical essay at Addictionunscripted.
com, she was experiencing “kidney failure, cirrhosis of
the liver, a bleeding gastrointestinal tract, severe jaundice,
18 Summer 2016
alcoholic hepatitis … My weight drops down to eighty
pounds… my feet are double their size and oozing fluid …. I
had one foot in the grave and the other was following.”
Having evaded death, and with the support of her boyfriend,
she found herself in the Henwood Residential Treatment
Program as a precondition of receiving a liver transplant. But
her worldview at the time, she says, was “black and white,”
making recovery all the more difficult, especially after the
counsellor told her she was a chronic alcoholic.
“How dare she!” is how Marchuk recalls the cursing reaction
she recorded in her journal, because to her, “chronic
alcoholic” meant that she “was no better than people I’d seen
sleeping in the streets…. My old stereotype of the alcoholic
was male, always dirty, smelled, [and]drank out of a brown
paper bag.” That painful image reminded her of an uncle
who’ d drunk himself to death; he was “‘wet-brained’… the
person drinks so much it basically kills off their brain and
leaves them incapacitated.”
“I took the blinders off,” Marchuk says about confronting
the description “chronic alcoholic”, and “started to hear
differently, and that’s the transition from the head into the
heart.” It let her abandon her ego, she says, and embrace the
tenets of her twelve-step recovery. “Instead of overanalysing,
I was feeling, connecting. Then, I noticed one day the world
became brilliant with colour. It was vibrant and it was alive.”
Inspired by a counsellor
with whom she worked
during a six-month stay at
a women’s recovery house,
Marchuk decided to become
a social worker. Combining
that education with Native
Studies and attendance at the
Blue Quills cultural camp,
she writes that the missing
Darlene Marchuk
medicine was “connecting
spiritually through cultural means,” which gave her “the
same connection I had when I was in a healing circle….
I literally felt my blood come to life….” In addition to
applying her new vision to becoming an accomplished, semiprofessional photographer, she achieved a master’s degree
which took her as far as Australia where she communed with
indigenous Australians to understand how they, too, had
survived and continue to fight colonialism. “After everything
all my relations have experienced,” she says, “we are still here
and our hearts continue to beat in rhythm with the drum.”
Currently, Marchuk works at Poundmaker’s Lodge Treatment
Centre as a forty-two day addictions counsellor, with
colleagues who embrace indigenous cultures and spiritual
traditions so they can work more respectfully and effectively
with their clients. To her, excluding spirituality from
recovery is akin to refusing to reattach a severed limb; only
re-fusion can make the injured person whole. The Medicine
Wheel, as she describes it, addresses the “four quadrants of
life: emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual.” Spirituality
doesn’t have to mean formal religion or even supernatural
belief, but offers a “god” that some twelve-steppers call “good
orderly direction.” Today, whenever she experiences setbacks
or seeks guidance, she prays and smudges to help rebalance
herself spiritually, which allows her to give and receive “the
many gifts of life: love, respect, understanding, patience,
[and] empathy.”
“Don’t ask why the addiction—ask why the pain?” is the
incisive admonition of Canadian physician and addictions
specialist Gabor Maté, but it’s clear that addressing trauma
is never enough. Achieving a life of sustainable productivity,
meaning, and joy requires asking Marchuk’s own heartsun
question—and then building existence around fulfilling it:
“What makes your heart dance?”
Equally remarkable is Patti Howell, whose name is equally
powerful: Patricia, meaning noble woman, and Howell
from Hywel, a mythic Welsh saint who served King Arthur
and was a disciple of Saint Teilo. Howell, who is currently
a case worker and facilitator with Distinctive Employment
Counseling Services of Alberta (DECSA), would be able to
understand the harrowing defeats, betrayals, and violence
of the Arthurian legends, having herself survived trials-byfire… and ice.
Howell took her first drink of alcohol when she was only
four years old in a family where brutality was the norm. By
her adolescence she had the first two of her eventual five
children; ultimately, addiction cost her custody of all of
The Advocate 19
them, and her partner’s own addictions killed him. She says
that by the time she hit—or actually was smashed into—the
proverbial rock-bottom, she “felt completely empty. Like I
was a shell walking around with human skin. Completely,
devastatingly empty.” Four years of homelessness,
prostitution, and eventually crack cocaine addiction led her
to an icy March street at 4 AM where strangers robbed and
attempted to murder her by twice running her over with
their car, breaking her hip, pelvis and jaw, and crushing her
right heel and parts of her right calf and left kneecap.
Awakening in the hospital a month later, she discovered
an astonishing blessing: her craving for cocaine was gone.
While she still had two months left of a non-weight-bearing
order for physical recovery, she felt pushed into action by
what saved her. After her attackers hit the first time, she
recalls having heard a voice commanding her: “Move, Patti!”
Despite her massive, agonising injuries (“I just flipped over
my broken hip and pelvis, and with the crunching going
straight up my tailbone and all the way up my spine, I’m
dragging myself with my elbows—”) she moved just enough
to avoid being killed by the second impact.
“From that moment I became obedient. That is a miracle
in and of itself. I was not in any way obedient up until that
point.” And that voice that called her? “I know it was God,”
she says. “Once you hear, you can’t unhear.”
Intensely motivated to create a new life, she found help at
E4C (a non-profit human services charitable organization),
Pathways to Housing, and Poundmaker’s Lodge Treatment
Centre, which motivated her to become an RSW.
“I wanted to help people, inspire people, empower people to
make different choices for themselves,” she says, “especially
people who are what I call ‘my people’… people living in
prostitution or sexual exploitation.” At DECSA’s transition
program, she helps steer willing seekers toward education
and trades or career development; she says the eleven women
in her group right now “inspire me every single day.”
because so many sponsors continue to falter or self-destruct,
her optimism is absolutely unmistakeable. She says all people
need to rebuild themselves sustainably is to “suit up and
show up… consistently.” Some people take more time, but
they can make it with support.
Although she still
experiences physical
pain from the attempt
on her life, Howell
says that following
her transformation,
nothing runs her
life, not even pain.
Yet like Marchuk,
Patti Howell
she too argues for
the importance of spirituality—however defined—in selftransformation. But is there a contradiction? After all, while
religious stories about sacrificed saviour gods are far older
than Christianity, they all have one thing in common: their
deity is a victim. Wouldn’t that ultimate victimhood reinforce
a wounded person’s learned helplessness?
“Well, he was a victim until he overcame death, and then
he was a victor. People seem to forget that part of the story,”
says Howell in reference to the saviour in her own Christian
faith. “I’ve come back, and my life is better now than it’s
ever been…. Coming back stronger than ever is not really a
testament to me, it’s a testament to my higher power…. I was
told I would get up to eighty percent capacity maybe by the
doctors. [That] I might not walk again.” But she does.
While lying in her hospital bed, she knew she had to choose
her fate, and that she could default to bitterness, or climb a
path of mystery she’ d never ascended before. But even for
those who are rigidly anti-religious, she offers a spiritual
opportunity: “We have a lower self. A base self. We also have
a higher self. So if we follow the doctrine of our own higher
self, and what we know is to be the right and good thing,
then that, to me, is following a higher power.”
While Howell claims that her twelve-step program taught
her to avoid being “invested in other people’s outcomes”
MINISTER FAUST is an award-winning novelist and
journalist. He was a public school teacher for a decade and
has also worked in television and video games. His podcast
MF Galaxy is on iTunes, Stitcher and mfgalaxy.org. Find his
books at ministerfaust.com.
20 Summer 2016
Budget 2016 and Helping People
with Addictions
by Minister Faust
The Government of Alberta accepted the Valuing Mental
Health report and its 32 recommendations, each of which
includes a suggested target date for implementation. The
government then made six of its own priorities for reform,
as posted at www.Health.Alberta.ca/initiatives/MentalHealth-Review.html, but without noting in that summary
the budgetary allocations for each goal or its timeline for
implementation. The Advocate asked for responses from the
Honourable Sarah Hoffman, Minister of Health, whose press
secretary Laura Ehrkamp spoke on her behalf, and interim
Liberal leader David Swann, who chaired the Alberta Mental
Health Review Committee.
Q
What process did the government use to
reduce the 27 recommendations in Appendix A
to six priorities?
Ehrkamp: The six recommendations were chosen as
highest priority based on immediate needs. The needs for
detoxification beds were determined by examining the
patterns of usage across the province and where current
pressure points existed: where either beds were not available
or the beds that were available were in high demand.
Q
To what degree are you satisfied by the
government’s six priorities based on Appendix
A’s 27 recommendations? How sufficient is the
government’s budgetary allocation for each of
those six priorities?
Swann: The six recommendations chosen by government as
priorities are not what I would have chosen. The priorities
are listed clearly in the opening pages of the report. The
government is constrained by the current fiscal realities of
Alberta. That said, because they are not prioritizing upstream
services and supports, the limited money available is going to
the wrong places. We should be funding team-based care and
preventative programs.
Q
What is the timeline for implementation?
Ehrkamp: Some of the new detoxification beds (for example,
the Protection of Children Abusing Drugs (PCHAD) beds
in Calgary are now open). Work is underway to open the
six to eight new detoxification beds for adults in Lethbridge.
Converting 20 beds from social detoxification to medical
detoxification at Safe Harbour in Red Deer is also one of the
priority recommendations we are taking action on.
Q
What is your opinion of the government’s timeline
for implementation of those priorities?
Swann: I believe the Minister is doing what she can, but this
is an issue that is only going to get worse without timely
implementation of the priorities I mentioned earlier.
Q
When will the government act on the remaining
recommendations from Appendix A? How did you
determine where the need was the strongest?
Ehrkamp: An Addiction and Mental Health Implementation
Team is being established to work with our community and
health partners to coordinate implementation of the report.
Q
Which of the remaining recommendations from
Appendix A do you want set as the next set of
priorities and why?
Swann: As I mentioned, the government has its priorities
wrong already. They need to address the major findings in
the report instead of trying to find easy political wins.
The Advocate 21
Can Be Done
by Verna Wittigo, MSW, RSW
Verna Wittigo completed
her Master of Social Work,
Clinical specialization in
2014. Was something she
only dreamed. After many
years of social work practice
in helping others to succeed,
Verna took a step forward
and completed her degree.
Verna started working within
the social work framework in
1986 - 29 years. Verna could
Verna Wittigo
have driven countless times
around the world to provide services through her work and
volunteerism. On a personal note, Verna is a proud mother
of two daughters who she raised at times with support from
parents. Verna bought her own home for her family. Verna
is a Cree woman who was raised on the south shore of
Lesser Slave Lake in Joussard, Alberta. Verna is the direct
descendant of Wittigo, neé Benjamin Willier, brother to
Moostoos and Kinosayoo of Treaty 8. Wittigo was part of the
Treaty 8 negotiations. Wittigo was patriarchal grandfather
to Henry Willier, Verna’s father. Verna is very proud of her
heritage and ancestry.
Verna is thankful for the helping hands of Creator,
grandmothers, grandfathers and animal helpers. Thanks
for the support of family, friends, colleagues, co-workers,
mentors, NDP government for recognition and some
financial assistance from Sucker Creek band. As well, big
thank you to University of Calgary, staff and faculty for
providing the program and opportunity. Verna is proud to
have paid, took vacation days and worked for the majority of
her education. Free education is a myth. Work is healthy with
love and a vision. Hai hai.
Verna Wittigo resides in High Prairie, Alberta, where she is a Mental Health Promotion Facilitator and works in
Outreach Services for adults in recovery from severe and chronic mental illness, both with Alberta Health Services.
She also serves as an Elder with Region 8 Child and Family Services, supporting foster families by providing children
with teachings about and access to traditional culture and ceremonies.
Wittigo is also an Elder on the ACSW Indigenous Social Work Committee and has been a member since its conception.
A highlight of her work with the committee was the 2006 ‘Think Tank’ for Aboriginal people in Red Deer, which saw a
significant part of the community gather, and which featured Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper as a guest speaker.
Wittigo has years of experience in the fields of addiction, mental health, crisis Intervention and more, and has earned
a number of honours including the Canadian Association of Social Work’s Distinguished Service award. She is a
lifelong learner of the Cree language; has served as a Cree interpreter in court; and enjoys teaching conversational
Cree to children. The Advocate is honoured to share her story.
22 Summer 2016
ACSW conference keynote address
Social Workers Gather
to Embrace Change
ASCW Conference 2016
by Tara Hogue Harris
We all know the benefits of keeping your nose to the grindstone and your head down.
Now imagine the relief of bringing your head up and taking a wider view. That’s the
beauty of the ACSW’s annual conference. It’s an opportunity to meet and reconnect
with colleagues from across the profession, take in new viewpoints and find yourself
reenergized by the spirit and strength of social workers across the province.
Dr. Marie Wilson - keynote speaker
Conference attendees at the keynote address
The Advocate 23
This year’s conference, “Social Workers Embracing a Diverse
and Changing World”, took place at the Shaw Conference
Centre in Edmonton from March 31st to April 2nd, 2016.
725 people attended, taking in everything from the kick-off
Wellness Fair to over 50 workshops that allowed attendees to
earn up to 12 Category ‘A’ credits.
Friday’s highlight was keynote speaker Dr. Marie Wilson,
one of three commissioners on the Truth & Reconciliation
Commission. Dr. Wilson had a full house as she shared her
experiences as a witness to the multigenerational effects of
Indian Residential Schools. She offered multiple perspectives
and stories of hope, while also bringing many to tears with
videos featuring the personal accounts of Residential School
survivors. She encouraged all social workers to incorporate
asking clients if anyone in their family attended Residential
School into their practice.
Friday evening’s ACSW annual general meeting allowed
the College to report on the events of the past year, and
resulted in two important resolutions. A vote was held and
a resolution supported that the ACSW actively engage with
the work of the CASW and the effort to create agreement
for a federal Social Care Act by advocating the government
of Alberta and its MLAs. In addition, a motion was adopted
that the ACSW take action to address the Calls to Action of
the Truth & Reconciliation Commission.
With 56 workshops to choose from, social workers could
choose to zero in on topics like physician-assisted dying and
adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or broaden
their focus to learn about the value of meditation or
overcoming team dysfunction. Some of the ACSW’s Interest
Groups took the opportunity to share their vision and work,
and a group of deserving social workers were honoured
during the annual awards luncheon.
Hours of work went into the success of this conference, and
sincere thanks go out to the many conference volunteers,
including co-chairs Leeann Francis, SW Dip, RSW, and Ann
Henry, BSW, RSW. The support of ACSW staff was also
instrumental in making the conference happen. Watch for
news of the 2017 conference in Calgary, another opportunity
to lift your head, broaden your focus and reenergize your
practice for another year.
Barbara McPherson proposing resolution at the AGM
Conference committee co-chairs Ann Henry &
Leeann Francis
Elder Gilman Cardinal and Verna Wittigo
Social work students at U of C booth
Food truck at conference
Poster presentation
24 Summer 2016
Volunteers and ACSW staff
Donna Marie Perry with Ilona Cardinal
Alec Stratford and Charity Lui
Heather Johnson
Volunteers at the conference
ACSW staff Laurie Nelson, Tracy Houben and
Noreen Majek
ACSW staff Neetu Dodd
Members participating in peacemaking circles
Donna Marie Perry enjoying reiki
MLAs Nicole Goehring and Heather Sweet
Charity Lui with hoop dancers
MC College students offered mini-manicures
Relaxing with yoga
Wellness Fair
The Advocate 25
Soca fit at wellness fair
Workshops
ACSW members enjoy conference workshops.
26 Summer 2016
Stretching with yoga
MLAs Heather Sweet and Nicole Goehring
hoop dancing
ACSW 2016 Award Winners
The Alberta College of Social Workers congratulates this year’s award winners!
Excellence in Social Work
Practice Award
This award recognizes registered social workers who have
exhibited exemplary skills and commitment to the Code of
Ethics and mission of the ACSW while engaged in providing
direct service to clients.
Debra Carnat, MSW, RSW
Bob Marvin, Lana Wells and Debra Carnat
John Hutton Memorial Award
Lana Wells, MSW, RSW
Lana holds an MSW with an International and Community
Development specialization from the University of Calgary.
She is a member of the Canadian Association for Social
Work Education and has held a number of academic
appointments from 1998 to present. Lana has founded
and led significant projects for addressing family violence.
Currently she is an adjunct professor in the Faculty of
Social Work at University of Calgary and leads the MSW
Leadership in Human Services Specialization at U of C.
The Nominations and Recruitment Committee was
impressed with the depth of Lana’s contributions over time
and agreed with her nominator that Lana’s continuous
leadership in advocating for social policies and social change,
along with a strong commitment to advancing social work
practice, is worthy of recognition. To learn more about Lana’s
work, please see the article on page 16.
Debra holds a Master of Social Work degree with
specialization in Clinical Practice from the University of
Calgary. She is a clinical therapist with Alberta Health
Services and has demonstrated a strong commitment to
clients and the profession in the role of therapist, advocate,
leader and educator over many years.
Robert Marvin, MSW, RSW
Robert “Bob” Marvin is a sessional instructor at the
University of Calgary and an instructor at NorQuest College
in Edmonton. His MSW was earned at U of C with a
specialization in Management and Administration. Robert’s
career includes numerous contributions made in his work
with the City of Edmonton that have benefitted communities,
organizations and many students over many years.
3 Long-time Members of Private
Practice Roster Recognized
Judy Baron, MSW, RSW, Audrey Ferber, MSW, RSW and
Stephanie Wellings, MSW, RSW were recognized for their
long service and many contributions to ACSW and the
Private Practice Committee. The College acknowledged their
long-time involvement and leadership on the committee, as
well as their mentorship, direction, support and inspiration
for social workers in, or considering, private practice. The
College also thanks them for their many hours of work in
developing documents for private practitioners and their
ongoing advisement to ACSW council.
The Advocate 27
ACSW Student Scholarship Winners
The ACSW conference scholarship fund is sponsored by TD Insurance Meloche Monnex to provide
support for social work students to attend the annual ACSW conference. This year, an additional
scholarship was provided anonymously.
Amy-Lee Matchem, SW. Dip.
Natasha Gillis, BSW student,
student, Keyano College, Fort McMurray
University of Calgary in Calgary
This scholarship was generously provided by an anonymous
RSW who wished to pay a conference registration fee for a
student member.
I cannot express how grateful I am to have received the TD
Insurance Meloche Monnex scholarship that allowed me the
opportunity to attend the conference. As a student, it was a
chance to get out of the classroom and see the magnitude of
the opportunities that exist once I graduate. The conference
gave me the opportunity to learn things that extend beyond
the social work curriculum and taught me about multiple
resources that are available for my future practice.
I really enjoyed my experience at the Alberta College of
Social Worker’s Annual Conference 2016. I had the privilege
of attending the keynote by Dr. Marie Wilson from the Truth
and Reconciliation Commission. She spoke to the trauma
experienced by First Nations peoples in Residential Schools.
She asked individuals in the audience to stand if they were
in residential schools or if they had family who attended
residential schools. When these survivors stood up I know
the whole audience had chills. Her words were so impactful
and I am blessed to have heard her speak. I was also able
to attend numerous workshops regarding children and
families as my practicum placement as well as interest lies in
understanding children. The speakers were knowledgeable as
well as passionate about their ideas and their profession.
So many individuals I met who attended the conference
are as passionate about social work as I am. Everyone that
attended the conference had unique ideas and experiences
that will benefit my overall learning as I am about to enter
the profession of social work. I am so thankful for the ACSW
staff, volunteers and presenters for their dedication and
commitment to ACSW members. I will happily recommend
my fellow classmates to attend next year’s ACSW Conference
as a lot of valuable learning was done.
28 Summer 2016
My favourite part of the conference was a workshop I
attended called Working with Sexual and Gender Minority
Children, Youth and Families. The presenters shared their
personal stories, professional experiences and multitude of
knowledge. Aside from the massive amount of information
that I learned, Marni Panas, BHAdmin, Arlene EatonErickson, MSW, RSW, and Tamara Gartner, SW Dip,
RSW, MA, Registered Psychologist, were open, honest and
extremely engaging. They allowed those in the workshop
to ask hard questions and challenged our way of thinking. I
hope this workshop returns to the conference in the years to
come and highly recommend it to all future and practicing
social workers.
The relationships I built with other social workers during
the conference will be lasting friendships. I would highly
recommend that all students attend this conference, as the
knowledge you learn is exceptional. The conference has
added to the excitement I have for starting practicum in the
fall and I look forward to using all the skills that were taught
during the conference. I will remember this experience for
years to come and I look forward to attending the conference
next year.
on misfortune; she emphasized the sheer resilience and
strength that survivors and inter-generational survivors have
shown throughout all they have endured. Overall, it was a
powerful and touching dialogue and I am thankful for the
opportunity to have been there to witness it.
Amy-Lee Matchem, Karina Gillies, Natasha Gillis and Jessica Gallant
Karina Gillies, SW Dip. student,
Keyano College, Fort McMurray
I would like to start off by expressing my gratitude to both
the Alberta College of Social Workers and TD Insurance
Meloche Monnex for their generous donation which
provided me the chance to attend the annual conference. It is
through these kinds of initiatives that everyone is able have
equal access to opportunity, which is one of the core values
of social work.
My attendance at the conference greatly enriched my
understanding of the social work profession as a whole. The
conference began with Dr. Marie Wilson, commissioner for
the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Canada, as
the keynote speaker. Dr. Wilson shared her experiences of
hearing the stories of residential school survivors firsthand.
There were many times during Dr. Wilson’s speech that I
felt myself touched by her words and becoming emotional.
I can only imagine the pain and trauma involved in losing
one’s identity and culture, and it saddens me to a great
degree to see how such a history still impacts the Aboriginal
population today. Dr. Wilson was careful not to focus solely
My favorite workshop during the conference was put on by
the creative staff at iHuman Edmonton, an agency directed
towards at-risk youth which utilizes the arts as a tool for
engaging clientele. The workshop was about the genre of
hip-hop as an instrument for social work practice. As a
self-proclaimed “hip-hop head”, this workshop was an easy
choice for me. However I did not anticipate learning about
how hip-hop is actually a grassroots movement directly
rooted in social justice. We learned about the history of
hip-hop, and that it was created in the Bronx, New York, to
provide a means to rise above gang violence and poverty
for the African-American population. Then we watched a
documentary on the Block Parties that take place once a
week during the summer in Edmonton, where anyone in
the community is welcome to gather and express themselves
in an artistic manner. This workshop was dynamic and
validating to the fact that social work can sometimes be
unconventional and still effective—and you can expect to see
me at a Block Party this summer!
On the second and final day of the conference, I attended
a workshop where people who have previously suffered
addictions, mental illness and trauma got to share their
story. It’s easy to be an outsider to these issues and act like an
expert on other people’s lives. However, to live through it first
hand, rise above it, and then to have the courage to speak
about it publicly is extremely empowering. The message that
I’m taking from today is that no matter your past, there is
always hope to start over and begin a new life.
See you next year!
The Advocate 29
Day in the Life
ELIZABETH SCHNITZLER
By Tara Hogue Harris
“Not all problems can be solved one on one.”
Elizabeth Schnitzler, MSW, RSW, came to this realization early in her professional life, and it has served to guide her well
through the years that have followed. Nearing her 21st year as a social planner, and 28th year with the City of Calgary,
Elizabeth has found satisfaction in working at the systems level to make a real difference.
30 Summer 2016
The role of a social planner in Elizabeth’s case means
“If my work for seniors looks to advance positive social ties
working as a part of Calgary’s Family and Community
to ensure social inclusion, and my partners are working
Support Services (FCSS), the fifty-year-old ‘only-in-Alberta’
towards social participation and community supports, we
program focused on preventative social services. FCSS
look for ways to do it together,” Elizabeth explains.
partners with community agencies and other funders to fund
and provide programs that increase social inclusion and
strengthen neighbourhoods.
We can’t do it in isolation.
“The job is never the same”, says Elizabeth about her years
with the City. “FCSS funding priorities shift, the population
Those internal partners include Social Planners, Researchers,
changes, issues evolve”. For nine years, she focused on
Issue Strategists, Community Workers, and Neighbourhood
children and youth as a vulnerable population, and before
Partnership Coordinators in her own department. Another
that, spent seven years working to promote the social
day might see Elizabeth liaising with Seniors’ Services
integration of immigrants and ethno-cultural groups.
Coordinators from Calgary Neighbourhoods, the City’s
Today, her energies have shifted to seniors, and the City’s
business unit that’s tasked with addressing the social needs of
commitment of being an age-friendly city.
the individuals and communities of Calgary. Some days, her
meetings might be with community funders like United Way
of Calgary or the Calgary Foundation, or sitting down with
counterparts in the provincial Seniors’ Ministry.
“We know people are vulnerable. We have to work together.
We can’t do it in isolation”, emphasizes Elizabeth.
Another part of Elizabeth’s job description is working with
the partners who deliver the services that FCSS funds to
ensure accountability for the allocations. She liaises with
agency executive directors, program managers, and service
delivery staff to ensure FCSS funded organizations have
“Each change of focus gives me an opportunity to really
strong boards, good governance, current strategic plans, and
get to know the population and the issues in Calgary”, says
effective programs using best practices with solid outcomes.
Elizabeth. What are the concerns? What policies and systems
She might work with contractors or consultants to develop
are in place? What are the opportunities for innovation and
research pieces to inform best practices, and then share those
growth? It’s clear that digging into these questions is a source
results with stakeholders.
of energy and fulfilment for her.
The seeds of her own interest in the field grew from her need
As you can imagine, caring for seniors in a city like
to make a difference in people’s lives. As a teen and young
Calgary can mean working with a multitude of partners,
adult, she volunteered with different groups, looking for
some within the City of Calgary and others, without. She
her niche. She chose sociology as a major at the University
meets weekly with her partners in FCSS to look at how
of Lethbridge, followed by a Bachelor of Social Work at
their work intersects.
the University of Calgary, and completed her MSW while
The Advocate 31
in the workforce. Elizabeth’s first jobs in the profession
to grapple with the big issues can be fulfilling. She believes in
were with the Canadian Mental Health Association in
empowering citizens to tap into their own resources and do
Lethbridge, Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, and
for themselves; to make change locally at both personal and
then in child welfare investigations and youth probation.
systems levels.
She was also a community development worker in several
Calgary neighbourhoods for a number of years. From these
experiences, she knew she wanted to make a difference at the
macro level.
“It brings me satisfaction knowing that there are concrete
services available now that weren’t there before, and my
fingerprints are on them”, says Elizabeth, reflecting on the
work she’s done. She’s quick to say that credit is always
These days, she’s knee-deep in meetings for FCSS’s new
shared with those doing the work on the ground, and points
call for funding proposals. Almost $40 million is being
to Calgary’s universal after school program as an example.
allocated by FCSS Calgary in 2016 and Elizabeth shares that
Families can now find free or low-cost after-school activities
responsibility. This call for funding has her doing everything
near their homes during the critical hours from 3 to 6 pm
from orienting agencies interested in applying, to reviewing
when children are at risk. This is only one example of the
applications, and ensuring alignment with what already
tangible impact that Elizabeth knows she has made through
exists in the service community.
her work.
Putting all these pieces together is what keeps Elizabeth
Elizabeth shares that the young social workers she mentors
going. She loves the systems-level thinking that the work
are often surprised as they learn about her career as a social
requires, along with the strategizing and problem-solving
planner. They never imagined that their profession included
that comes with it. Working with like-minded stakeholders
such a role. Elizabeth knows that systems-level courses
32 Summer 2016
We have to be nimble enough to
align with the agendas of the political
environment, but keep our sights on the
client. We must ensure vulnerable folks
are supported, included, and empowered.
can cause students to glaze over at times. “But they’re very
Elizabeth and her husband of nearly 29 years have two sons,
critical courses!” she asserts, “If we don’t impact policies and
a teenager and a young adult. Her advice to other social
systems and work at the community level, social workers
workers balancing career and family is to build self-care into
can sometimes spin their wheels at the front line”. Elizabeth
your practice and stay grounded spiritually.
has also shared her passion for macro-level social work by
teaching community development and social policy courses
for seven years at what is now Mount Royal University.
“There are days in this work when I go home feeling like
I’m carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.
Know your boundaries and your limitations”, she offers.
Elizabeth finds pleasure in fitting the many pieces of
For her, this might mean indulging her love of travel and
her work life together, challenging as it can be. “It’s a
other cultures. (Her first language is Polish). Wherever she
real puzzle!” she acknowledges warmly. She talks about
goes, she finds herself looking at the world through a socio-
the need to align her organization’s strategies with the
political lens, aware of the systems that affect people and
political realities of the day and still be impactful. As a
their conditions, always thinking about how to make the
City of Calgary employee, she needs to be responsive to
world a better place.
City Council and the citizens who elected them, as well as
other levels of government. She returns to the need to be
collaborative: “We have to be nimble enough to align with
the agendas of the political environment, but keep our sights
on the client. We must ensure vulnerable folks are supported,
included, and empowered.”
TARA HOGUE HARRIS is an editor and writer with Bird
Communications, and can be heard on-hold and in radio
commercials across North America. She’s an avid reader,
and is pleased to be working with the Advocate team.
The Advocate 33
For your information
The 21st International Congress for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect
Protecting our Children, Protecting our Future
August 28 – 31, 2016
Telus Convention Centre, Calgary
Professionals from all corners of the world come together to consider how best to
protect children from being maltreated and maximize their well-being.
The Advocate’s For Your Information
section gives preference to Albertabased educational opportunities and
non-profit events for social workers.
Send your submissions to to Charity Lui
at [email protected].
Register at ispcan2016.com/register
2016 Grey Matters Conference
September 20 – 21, 2016
Grande Prairie
The Grey Matters Conference is a two-day event that offers provincial service providers
an opportunity to network, gain knowledge and increase awareness of issues, supports
and services for seniors.
For details and to register visit www.greymatters2016.com
Grounding Trauma
Generational Trauma – Family – Communication
Featuring Dr. Gabor Maté and his son Daniel Maté
October 4 & 5, 2016
Ramada Inn and Conference Centre, Edmonton
ACSW’s
Partners in Advocacy
Alberta Alliance on Mental Illness
and Mental Health
aamimh.ca
Edmonton Social Planning Council
edmontonsocialplanning.ca
Friends of Medicare
friendsofmedicare.org
Public Interest Alberta
pialberta.org
Parkland Institute
ualberta.ca/parkland
Find details at http://cast-canada.ca/GT2016Edmonton.html
ACSW 2017 Conference
March 29-April 1, 2017
Calgary Exhibition and Stampede Grounds
DEADLINES
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
for the FALL 2016 issue
of the Advocate is
JUNE 28, 2016
All editorial inquiries to Charity Lui
[email protected]
AD DEADLINE
for the FALL 2016 issue
of the Advocate is
JULY 15, 2016
All ad inquiries to Charity Lui
[email protected]
34 Summer 2016
YOU WOULDN’T TRUST
JUST ANYONE TO
STAND UP FOR YOUR
WORKPLACE RIGHTS.
The world is full of people we rely on, especially
when it come to your job. That’s why we stand up
for all our members, including Social Workers,
to have fair wages and respectable working
conditions. Together, we’re 24,000 highly skilled
health-care experts ensuring we all get exactly
what we need.
Another day, another crisis averted.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees is proud to represent
approximately 85,000 Albertans who provide quality public services
to the people of our province.
Among these hard-working Albertans are more than 2,500 social
services workers, including Child and Youth Care Counsellors,
Human Service Workers, Psychology Assistants, Psychologists and
Social Workers who work every day to make sure their clients are
safe and on track to successful lives.
AUPE is committed to a society in which all Albertans can expect
fair public services provided by committed, well-trained public
employees. www.aupe.org
Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. Your working people.
Aon Risk Solutions
Let Aon Help You
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Aon Risk Solutions has been CASW’s broker of choice
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With three great plans to choose from, we’ll help you
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To be sure you’ve got yourself covered,
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The Advocate 35
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