Good morning!
Happy National Pie Day đ„§ And you thought today couldnât get any better. Also, we ask you to forward and share this newsletter with another social worker if you are enjoying it! Thank youđ
Todayâs question: How many countries legally recognize same-sex marriage? And which country is the most recent addition to the list?
News
The dangers of mental illness
There has been a flood of emotions following last weekâs murder of Michelle Alyssa Go, who was pushed in front of the New York City metro by a man who was both homeless and allegedly mentally ill.
âI remember begging one of the hospitals, âLet him stay,â because once heâs out, he didnât want to take medication, and it was the medication that kept him going,â said Josette Simon, the sister of the offender who pushed Michelle Alyssa Go.
The brother of Malik Faisal Akram, who was killed last week after taking hostages at the Congregation Beth in Texas, had a similar response.
âHe had mental health issues,â Gulbar Akram told the Times. "Itâs well known, everybody in the town knows, he has mental health issues.â He had also questioned how his brother was able to acquire a visa and travel to the United States.
Many of our systems and institutions are ineffective in treating mental health and criminal justice issues. And the failure to address these issues ties into bigger trends such as the murder rate in the United States, which saw a 27 percent increase in 2020â the largest percentage increase in at least six decades.
Hikikomori
You arenât the only couch potato in town đ„đ„đ„
Hikikomori, a concept that originated in Japan which refers to a form of severe social withdrawal from society, has gathered more attention recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hikikomori (as these people are usually called) may spend months and years without participating in societyâwithout mental illness being the main cause.
Studies have estimated that 1.2 percent of Japanâs population has Hikikomori and 2.6 percent of the population in Hong Kong has Hikikomori.
Although this was originally assumed to be a cultural phenomenon, the pandemic has resulted in more cases throughout the world - from Spain and South Korea, to Nigeria and even the United States.
One of the core beliefs about Hikikomori is that it cannot be fully captured by the existing mental health diagnoses. In other words, people who have Hikikomori do not abstain from going out simply due to depression, social anxiety, or another mental health diagnosis. Although a mental health diagnosis may be present, the diagnosis alone does not fully capture the clientâs experience.
More research is needed to figure out whether Hikikomori is a distinct mental health diagnosis, but there are strategies used to prevent people from progressing to Hikikomori. These strategies include:
Encouraging people who are socially withdrawn to leave the home, whether for exercise or to meet others
Seeking professional help with a psychologist or psychiatrist
Providing in-person visits
Other social work-related news
A University of Pennsylvania student who was completing a masterâs degree in social work lost her prestigious scholarship after a discovery that she had lied about her foster care upbringing (hint: She went to private school) đ
A social worker asks us to stop bullying children who are not vaccinated đ
Check out this webinar on grant writing and finding funding âïž
How can Medicaid Plans assure access to care for the LGBTQI+ population? đłïžâđ
Policy
Critical Race Theory
Lawmakers in at least 12 states have introduced legislation to require schools to post lists of all of their teaching materials online, including books, articles and videos.
There is a political divide over what should be taught in schools. To be more specific, many on the right are pushing against racial sensitivity training and critical race theory in schools. They also claim that material used by teachers should be publically available.
On the other hand, many on the left support these trainings and theories. In addition to this, many teachers and unions are critiquing the move which requires schools to post lists of their teaching materials, saying that it would highly scrutinize the work of teachers.
But what is critical race theory in the first place? And why is it so controversial?
Critical race theory is a 40-year-old concept that:
Deems race as a social construct (as opposed to something real that exists in the outside world) that is maintained by those in power
States that racism is embedded into our legal systems and policies
Its opponents argue that Critical Race Theory is:
An ideology that is âposing as historyâ
An idea that is breaking down the ideals that our society is built upon, such as neutrality, equality, and fairness
Unwilling to be challenged, as any opposition to the theory is presented as evidence of racism
This debate over what should be taught in schools is not new and will likely continue for a very long time.
Other reads on policy
Administrative burdens are preventing many states from applying for the pandemic EBT program - a lifeline for millions of families
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee is proposing an additional $4.9 billion in spending to the $59 billion biennial budget to help âplug holes in a mental and behavioral health care systemâ. Part of this funding may be used for the statewide 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline
How can the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) create a more equitable healthcare system?
Research
Guaranteed income
The Bridge Program, which is being funded by the Monarch Foundation, will give hundreds of mothers of infants and expecting mothers $500 or $1,000 per month for three years. The goal of the research is to figure out whether guaranteed income can help families break through the cycle of poverty.
This may sound like a familiar concept. And it is. In 2020, Andrew Yang ran for the United States presidency on the idea that every American would obtain Universal Basic Income (UBI). But guaranteed income is a bit different from UBI.
Whereas guaranteed income provides a modest but impactful sum of money to a targeted group of people, UBI aims to provide enough money for someone to survive.
Yet more research on UBI and guaranteed income is necessary. A report by The Stanford Basic Income Lab highlighted that while these programs can be effective in reducing poverty in low- and middle-income populations, results over their broad impact across society are as of yet unclear.
Other reads on research
A review of 36 research studies from 11 countries found that school closures and social lockdowns were associated with unfavorable mental health symptoms (such as distress and anxiety) and health behaviors (such as higher screen time and lower physical activity) among children and adolescents
Are apps actually effective in treating mental health? Maybe, but there isnât much strong research to support that they are
Although suicide rates may be increasing, most people still arenât reaching out for help
Answer: As of 2021, same-sex marriage is legally performed and recognized in 29 countries (nationwide or in some jurisdictions) with the most recent being Costa Rica (2020).
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