Social Worker Confidentiality
from The National Association of Social Workers
Social workers tirelessly advocate in federal and state legislature for individuals, families and communities to receive the supports they need to thrive. Now it’s their turn. The National Association of Social Workers are mobilizing support for Support SB1508 as amended to protect social worker confidentiality and to prevent adverse employment actions against social workers in school settings. Click this link http://ilga.gov/senate/committees/members.asp?CommitteeID=611 to call the following members of Illinois Senate Education Committee, which will be meeting today. More

National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter Celebrate National Social Work Month in March 2009
from NASW IL
When life’s challenges become overwhelming, social workers can help. Social workers are society’s safety net, providing vital resources and support to those who need it most. Finding help from a social worker sheds light on the great potential and countless possibilities in every person’s life. National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter proudly celebrates National Social Work Month 2009. More

Record Numbers at Advocacy, Social Work Month Kickoff in Carbondale
from NASW IL
The unofficial start of Social Work Month begins annually with Social Work Advocacy Day. And last week the unofficial started off with a bang! A record number of 722 participants took part in the day' s activities. More

Obama Taps Sebelius, DeParle for Health Posts
from CNN
President Obama announced his choices for two key health care positions this week, tapping Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius for health and human services secretary and former Clinton administration official Nancy-Ann DeParle as White House health care czar. As director of the White House Office on Health Reform, DeParle will work with Sebelius as the president's point person coordinating outreach to Congress on the administration's ambitious health care reform agenda. More

Tourette's Camp Offers Welcome Retreat
from The Chicago Tribune
At 6, Scott Loeff developed a speech impediment that no doctor could explain. Seven years and a slew of specialists later, a team of Chicago physicians shared a diagnosis with Loeff and his parents: Tourette's syndrome, a neurological disorder that's characterized by tics, such as his stutter. The lone universal attribute to living with Tourette's might just be the societal shunning that often accompanies it. Enter Tourette’s Syndrome Camp USA. More

'Do Not Resuscitate' vs. 'Allow Natural Death'
from USA Today
Could three words change the way severely ill patients and their loved ones think about death? Spiritual leaders and some medical staff at hospitals across the USA believe so, and they are reconsidering how they pose one of life's toughest questions: Do you want to sign a "Do Not Resuscitate" form?More

Social Isolation a Significant Health Issue
from The San Francisco Chronicle
You may worry about your waistline or pack-a-day smoking habit, but psychologists say there is a less recognized yet significant health hazard facing Americans: loneliness. They could have more friends than ever online but, on average, Americans have fewer intimates to confide in than they did a decade ago, according to one study. More

Homeless People Act Out Realities of Life on Stage
from The Christian Science Monitor
One hour before curtain call, Dennis Forester realizes his acting troupe has a problem. "We forgot the crack!" he hisses. The other members of the Seldom Seen Actors look up, surprised. A few giggle. But the missing prop worries him. Drugs figure prominently into tonight's show. The script depicts their experiences with addiction and homelessness on the streets of Oakland, Calif. They have lived this play. And tonight Forester wants to make sure they nail it. More

Fatal Illness More Likely in Bipolar Patients
from The New York Times
People with bipolar disorder are at risk for an array of fatal illnesses, according to a review of 17 studies involving more than 331,000 patients. The researchers, writing in a recent issue of Psychiatric Services, looked at studies of patients whose bipolar illness was severe enough to require hospitalization. Mortality in those patients ranged from 35 percent to 200 percent higher than in comparison groups. More