USF Faculty Members Publish Article in the Journal of Forensic Social Work

Joliet, Ill. – University of St. Francis (USF) faculty members Laura N. Honegger, Ph.D., MSSW (assistant professor and department chair, Department of Social Work) and Stacy Dewald, Ph.D. (assistant professor, Department of Criminal and Social Justice) recently published an article in the Journal of Forensic Social Work on people in the criminal justice system with trauma histories. The article, Making a Case for Gender-Responsive, Trauma-Informed Mental Health Courts: An Exploration of Participant Trauma Histories, takes a closer look at the disproportionate number of people in the criminal justice system with trauma histories, in conjunction with the disproportionate number of people with mental illness who have experienced trauma, examining the trauma histories of mental health court (MHC) participants. Through their study, Honegger and Dewald aimed to describe the lifetime prevalence of traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis among a sample of 163 participants within a Northeastern U.S. MHC. “The findings from our study underscore the importance of understanding the breadth and scope of trauma-informed, gender-responsive approaches within mental health courts. In response, Dr. Dewald and I are working on a research survey that will provide an update on the current status of mental health courts across the United States, with a subset of our survey questions pertaining to how individual courts address trauma among their participants,” said Honegger. Honegger and Dewald’s study concludes that, “in addition to providing in-house services or linkages to counseling, case management, housing, and other ancillary services, MHC participants would likely benefit from embedding a trauma-informed approach, which would be well aligned with the principle of therapeutic jurisprudence.” It adds that, “while the cost of adding gender-responsive, trauma-informed curriculum may be cost prohibitive for many MHC programs, we contend that all MHC programs should work towards the intentional adoption of a trauma-informed approach that includes free and accessible trauma screening tools, as well as modification of existing policies and procedures to reflect the values of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.” The full article can be accessed at https://journals.shareok.org/jofsw/article/view/109/94. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #

USF News

USF to Host 2023 Social Work Licensure Exam Prep Workshop

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) Social Work Department will host a two-session, eight-hour (total) ASWB masters and clinical licensure exam prep workshop on Saturday, May 13, and Saturday, May 20, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. via Zoom (online). This intensive, eight-hour, preparatory review workshop will be taught by USF social work instructors: Althia Gayle, Ed.D., LCSW; Kyung-Mee Choi, Ph.D., MSW; Joyce Kraus, DSW, LCSW, ACSW, and; Rachel Lagorio, MSW, LSW. Relevant examination content will be covered, including:

social work practice theories and terminology;
practice techniques;
diversity sensitive practice;
therapeutic strategies;
assessment and diagnosis, and;
professional ethics.

This workshop includes eight hours of CEUs and will also include test-taking strategies, sample test questions, and a course manual review. Workshop registration costs are as follows:

Community attendees without study package – $60
Current USF field instructors/supervisors – $30
USF Social Work Alumna/Alumni – FREE

To register, visit https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=YQxK2D (registration is necessary). Participants in last year’s workshop are eligible for a discount and should contact Laura Honegger at lhonegger@stfrancis.edu for details. The registration deadline is May 1^st. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #

USF News

Assistant Professors Present on Partnership with Will County Problem Solving Courts

Joliet, Ill. – University of St. Francis instructors Stacy Dewald, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminal and social justice, and Laura Honegger, Ph.D., LCSW, assistant professor of social work, presented at the Illinois Association of Problem-Solving Courts Conference on Friday October 21, at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott in Normal, Ill. The presentation, which included Dr. Scott DuBois and Mitch Crandall from the Will County State’s Attorney’s office, was titled, “Demystifying the Research Process: Collaborating with Universities.” The session discussed the three-year researcher-practitioner relationship between the Will County Problem-Solving Courts (PSC) and the USF Social Work and Criminal & Social Justice Departments. This session also explained how to forge a relationship with a university and discussed the opportunities and benefits of doing so. “This partnership has been mutually beneficial. Universities have professors with the expertise, resources, and desire to conduct research, which can benefit a PSC that lacks the financial means or ability to conduct such research. At the same time, universities can benefit from partnering with PSCs, which can offer internships, service-learning projects, and opportunities for students to connect with the local community. Conducting research not only contributes to improving a Problem-Solving Court but opens up the opportunities for innovative ideas and grant funding,” said Dewald. Visit stfrancis.edu/arts-sciences for more information on USF’s criminal and social justice program, and social work program. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #

USF News

Department of Social Work to Host Licensure Exam Prep Online Workshop

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) Department of Social Work will host a two-session, eight-hour (total) LSW/LCSW licensure exam prep workshop on Saturday, May 14, and Saturday, May 21, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. via Zoom (online). This intensive, eight-hour, preparatory review workshop will be taught by USF social work instructors Kyung-Mee Choi, Ph.D., MSW; Laura Honegger, Ph.D., LCSW; Althia Gayle, Ed.D., LCSW, and; Audrey Davis Ed.D., MSW, LCSW, PEL. Relevant examination content will be covered, including:

social work practice theories;
therapeutic strategies and terminology;
assessment and diagnosis;
practice techniques;
professional ethics, and;
diversity sensitive practice.

This workshop includes eight hours of CEUs and will also include test-taking strategies, sample test questions, and a course manual review. Workshop registration costs are as follows:

Community attendees without study package ($60)
Current USF field instructors/supervisors ($30)
USF Social Work Alumna/Alumni FREE

To register, visit https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=YQxK2D (registration is necessary). Participants in last year’s workshop are eligible for a discount and should contact Laura Honegger at lhonegger@stfrancis.edu for details. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 52,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #

USF News

USF Named a Sub-recipient of Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant Award

Joliet, Ill. – In late 2021, the Joliet Police Department (JPD) was awarded a grant worth over $476,000 through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance grant program. JPD will use the grant to fund crisis intervention training for its officers to improve service call responses involving individuals with mental health issues. The University of St. Francis (USF) was named a sub-recipient as part of the grant award and has supported the program’s overall design. The comprehensive effort connects JPD and USF with other area agencies, including the Behavioral Health Unit of the Will County Department of Public Health and Cornerstone Services. This collaborative approach, according to USF assistant professor and social work department chairperson Laura Honegger, Ph.D., MSSW, LCSW, will better connect individuals with mental illness to needed treatment and services. “This collaborative partnership will provide both dispatchers and police officers with specialized training to facilitate the diversion of individuals with mental illness to needed treatment and ancillary services, such as housing, food, benefits, clothing, and healthcare. It’s my hope that this grant will ultimately reduce the ‘revolving door’ of incarceration for persons with mental illness in the Joliet community,” said Honegger. USF’s role as a sub-recipient of the grant is twofold. First, the university will provide the project with case management from USF MSW-level interns. Second, Honegger and USF assistant professor of criminal and social justice Stacy Dewald, Ph.D., will comprise the research team on the project and carry out process and outcome evaluations. “I look forward to collaborating with the Joliet Police Department to help improve service delivery for those in our community who are struggling with mental health issues. Through this grant, we hope to provide officers with the training, skills, and support needed to effectively respond to calls and have officers refer those struggling with mental health issues to the proper resources. This program will hopefully help build positive community relations, improve public safety, and promote effective law enforcement strategies,” Dewald said. The project will span three years, including one year of planning and two years of implementation. Visit bja.ojp.gov to learn more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 52,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #

USF News

New USF Online MSW Degree Open Nationally

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) is now offering an online master’s degree in social work (MSW) that prepares students for advanced, leadership-oriented, social work positions. Open to graduates from any Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program, the new degree format is aimed at expanding options for social work graduates across the country who need a master’s degree in the field. With an MSW, graduates can pursue licensure, become an advanced social work practitioner, and hold leadership positions across the public or private sectors. USF is also keeping the price of the graduate degree program frozen for the third year in a row at $599 per credit hour. “USF already accepts graduates of social work programs from across the Chicago region for our on-campus MSW program, but this is an opportunity to support bachelor’s level social work graduates across the country,” said USF vice president for admissions Eric Wignall. The new online MSW program is designed to fill a gap for graduates of social work programs at any of the country’s accredited colleges or universities. “Social workers work with many different populations and types of people, particularly focusing on those who are vulnerable and living in poverty,” Wignall said. “USF has a long tradition of educating highly trained social workers, but we need more of them. Social workers are practitioners who help people and families in need. The MSW program provides advanced clinical skills required for specialized practice, while developing the confidence to address challenging, and constantly changing, situations in the field,” said USF provost Beth Roth, Ph.D. Roth, who leads USF’s academic program quality and development efforts, feels the online degree offers flexibility that BSW graduates need in order to take the next professional step. “As a Catholic, Franciscan university with a fully online master’s degree program in social work, the University of St. Francis can extend its mission to more students, reaching more communities if we make the program more affordable. With rising inflation and higher tuition rates, many master’s degree-seekers are looking for affordable MSW options,” Roth said. USF will continue to offer on-campus undergraduate and graduate degree programs in social work. “USF’s nationally-accredited MSW program focuses on advanced practitioner skills, leadership development, and evidence-based practice guidelines to improve and expand the effectiveness of social service programs. They also support clients and communities who are living with disabilities, substance abuse problems, or experience domestic conflicts,” Roth said. “Social workers are trained to address many different barriers to a given client’s overall wellbeing. Some of these barriers include poverty, unemployment, discrimination, or a lack of housing,” Wignall added. “USF will help graduate students continue their educational journeys by providing high quality, interactive online learning in the online MSW program. We are also being flexible in response to COVID-19 closures and disruptions. USF will accept GRE scores, but they are not required for admission,” Wignall said. Students can use the free online application to the USF online social work master’s degree program at stfrancis.edu/apply and applications for classes beginning January 10th and next fall are still being accepted. Visit stfrancis.edu/social-work-msw/ for more information. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 52,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #

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