Aerial Downtown

A Covid-19 Blog for Social Workers

Social Workers on the Front Line of Covid-19

Many social workers are on the front line of the Covid-19 pandemic and are offering myriad services to help those most in need during this challenging time. In order to learn from our stories and to show support for each other, the UW-Madison School of Social Work has invited social workers to post their stories about social work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you are a social worker and would like to share your experience, please submit a post here.

Posts

  • Community Outreach and Partnership to Increase Vaccine Confidence in Two Underserved Communities

    As fellow board members on the Sandra Rosenbaum School of School Work Board of Visitors, Caroline Gomez-Tom (MSW ’11) and Trudy Marshall (BA ’74) stay connected on their efforts to improve access to COVID-19 care …

  • Social Workers Lead Effort to Provide Struggling Families with Basic Supplies During Pandemic

    From Madison.com: “When the COVID-19 pandemic started, families were scrambling to find stores where they could get basic supplies like toilet paper. “But some families lacked transportation to keep checking to see if the items …

  • Gifts of the Pandemic

    Shawna Reiter 02/15/2021 Work Setting: Private practice Psychotherapy I was working for a local county government implementing Comprehensive Community Services with adolescent patients when the pandemic hit last March. I decided to start my own …

  • Semester 3- Day ???

    JC Jones 01/13/2021 Work Setting: School Working in a school setting is something of a dream environment for many of us school social workers. We get to work with educators, families, and students, as well …

  • Alumni’s Covid-19 Project Hopes to Reach Thousands of Students

    In 2004, Sandra Rosenbaum School Of Social Work alumni Ben Schumaker, MSW ’06, founded The Memory Project, an incredibly successful non-profit dedicated to promoting intercultural understanding and kindness between children around the world through school-based …

  • Why BIPOC Populations Continue to Struggle with Mental Health and How to Help

    Martha Saucedo, MSW ’10, LCSW is a Behavioral Health Consultant at Access Community Health Centers. This post originally appeared on the NAMI Dane County Blog. By Martha Saucedo The  COVID-19 pandemic has been part of …

  • School Social Workers and Alumni Meet Family Needs in Madison Schools

    Early on in the pandemic, school social workers in 14 Madison, WI schools banned together and formed the Madison West High Area Collaborative. The group provides and coordinates a variety of services, including food distribution …

  • Maintaining Family Connections in the COVID ICU

    Work Setting: Hospital-Inpatient Maintaining Family Connections in the COVID ICU Emily Fagre 07/01/2020 For 10 weeks, from March 30th through the closing of the unit on June 13th, I worked on a hospital unit devoted …

  • Providing Care and Stability in the Face of Ever-present Changes

    Ana Stier, MSW ’01, works at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers in Milwaukee. The centers provide health care for all ages, health education, and social services free from linguistic, cultural, and economic barriers for …

  • Reflecting on "Reflective Practice"

    Work Setting: Independent Practitioner Reflecting on “Reflective Practice” Linda Kantner 05/26/2020 Note: Linda Kantner, MSSW ’82, is an independent Reflective Practice practitioner. She works with public health nurses, early childhood teachers, and therapists who work with …

  • Owning a Senior Living Facility in the time of Covid 19

    Work Setting: Senior Living Facility Owning a Senior Living Facility in the time of Covid 19 Kate Shaw 05/25/2020 Note: Kate Shaw, MSW ’05, is the owner and manager of Emerson Senior Living Center in …

  • Facing a Job Search in the Age of Pandemic

    Work Setting: Career Development Amanda Ngola 05/01/2020 As social work students prepare to enter the job market and seasoned social workers have been laid off, our changing economy has created a complex situation for all …

  • Hospice and Homecare Challenges

    Work Setting: Hospice and Homecare Kristin Kalpinski 04/09/2020 As a hospice and home care social worker I have observed the toll COVID has taken on family and friends. Due to working in a healthcare agency, …

  • Postive Energy

    Work Setting: Professional Development System Erin Nasgovitz 04/08/2020 When our group (WCWPDS) suddenly received emails of mandatory Zoom meetings, I’m sure I’m not the only staff person who felt anxious and afraid of the unknown. …

  • Homeless Outreach during a Pandemic

    Work Setting: Community Based Non-Profit Tyler Schueffner 04/03/2020 Just thought I would share a few details of being an outreach coordinator during COVID-19 pandemic. Street and community based outreach requires you to be flexible and …

  • Ethical Issues Continue to Emerge in our Covid19 World

    Work Setting: Fertility Work Jeanne Ferguson 04/02/2020 Families are still trying to move on in their lives, further their dreams and pursue their best hopes for their future, despite the frightening and constantly unfolding drama …