The Secretary of Veterans Affairs has appointed Dr. David L. Albright to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans’ Rural Health Advisory Committee. Dr.

Chris Collins, a doctoral candidate with the FSU College of Social Work, will join the faculty of Salem State University starting the fall semester of 2023. As an assistant professor within the Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services School of Social Work, Chris will primarily focus on teaching macro social work courses focused on areas like policy, social work practice with organizations, forensic social work and research methods.

William (Bill) Kintz, a long-time teaching professor with the FSU College of Social Work served as the college’s Department of Children and Families Training Coordinator until his death on December 14, 2022. He worked in the social work field for more than 50 years.

Born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Bill earned his bachelor’s degree in 1970 from Saint Francis College and a master’s degree in social work from Indiana University in 1972. He began his social work career with Catholic Social Services/Catholic Charities in Indiana from 1972 until 1986.

As a young student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Margaret Ashmore was inspired by President Jimmy Carter’s dedication to service and social programs. A test at the university’s career center confirmed her desire to serve others, leading to a degree in social work. At UNCG, Ashmore was mentored by her professor, Dr. Patricia Spakes. “It was Dr. Spakes and another beloved professor, Jerry Finn, who influenced and encouraged me to continue my education.”

The College of Social Work Dean Search Committee is chaired by Dr. Don Farr, Dean, Dedman College of Hospitality at Florida State University.  SP&A Executive Search (formerly known as Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates), an executive search firm specializing in and exclusively dedicated to serving the higher education and non-profit sections has been retained to lead the committee through the search.

Dr. Bruce Thyer recently published a book in 2020 with his co-editors Dr. Charles Figley and Dr. Jeffrey Yarvis. The book Combat Social Work: Applying the Lessons of War to the Realities of Human Services, published by Oxford University Press, draws attention to the many unsung social work heroes exposed to active combat.

FSU Institute for Justice Research and Development received a 2022 Florida TaxWatch Productivity Award. The awards recognize and reward state employees and work groups who find ways to improve services, increase efficiency and save Florida taxpayers money.

Hundreds of children in Florida are removed from their homes each year due to child welfare reports and investigations. In 2020, the State of Florida reported 28,268 child welfare cases.

Developed in the early 2000s, Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) was developed as a distinct therapeutic technique for the treatment of traumatic stress. The technique is based on the principles of testimony therapy, according to the American Journal of Psychotherapy, and invites people to tell their stories or experiences, including traumatic events, in which the specific political context of the traumatic events is emphasized.

As a first-generation college student, Lauren Johnson (BSW, 2006) knew what it was like to not only navigate a new environment and culture but how the assistance of others can make all the difference in an individual’s success.

“My professors that taught at the College of Social Work helped me not only academically, but as an individual, cultivating me into the person I am today,” she recalled. “I had so many questions on how everything worked and regardless of how many questions I had or what assistance I needed my professors were always willing to help.”