Sex trafficking is a serious and widespread problem around the world. The International Labor Organization that throughout the globe 4.5 million people are victims of forced sexual exploitation. Though all kinds of people are vulnerable to this type of modern-day slavery, this number includes more than 2 million children, and […]

I grew up surrounded by social work values and was inspired early on to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps. My grandparents took in foster youth for more than 50 years and it was through connecting with these children and hearing their stories that my passion was ignited. This experience led […]

My morning starts with a 20-mile commute across Mobile Bay to the VA CBOC (Veterans Administration Community Based Outpatient Clinic) in Mobile, Alabama. The sun is at my back and the water is smooth and glassy at this time of the morning. The peace of watching the brown pelicans diving […]

LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) youth experience homelessness in a disproportionate rate compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. Some studies suggest that 20 to 40 percent of street youth identify as LGBT. According to a 2007 report from the National LGBTQ Task Force, titled “An Epidemic of Homelessness,” […]

For many graduates, the path from college graduation to their eventual career can be a windy one. Just ask Sarah Bridgeman. She earned a fine arts degree and studied with an artist in Paris before attending cosmetology school and tutoring struggling students in an after-school program. The latter inspired Bridgeman […]

During the past few years, the importance of addressing bullying has become increasingly apparent in the social work community. Research and anecdotal stories highlight the ways that bullying can negatively affect the school environment as well as interfere with students’ academic lives and mental health. The National Association of Social […]

When an error in cell development results in 47 chromosomes — rather than 46 — the extra gene interferes with normal brain and body development. This chromosome abnormality, referred to as Down syndrome, occurs in about one out of every 700 births, according to BabyCenter. Children with Down syndrome experience […]

Originally developed as an extension of Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies, mindfulness meditation cultivates awareness of thoughts, emotions and sensations in the here and now. Instead of rehashing the past or projecting into the future, a person who is practicing mindfulness focuses on the present moment and is open and […]

Mental and emotional wellness are primary concerns of working social workers around the globe. While it is important to recognize the needs of those coping with mental illness year-round, we recognize May as Mental Health Month in order raise awareness, educate, and fight stigma around mental illness. We have compiled […]

Although teenage pregnancy in the United States has declined dramatically over the past two decades, the nation’s teen birth rate is still higher than in other developed countries like the United Kingdom and Canada. Teenage pregnancy statistics show that nearly 3 in 10 girls will become pregnant at least once […]