Little bits and pieces of my life written down and shared with you.
Photo credit: A photo I took during my Jaunt Down South while on the Amazon in Brazil.
Jacob Campbell
School social worker practicing with students with EBD, university adjunct faculty, PhD student, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, father, husband, and active community member
In working with individuals and families, following a strengths-based approach is a best practice, and it is contrasted with a traditional problem-solving strategy. Following some of Kirst-Ashman and Hull’s (2015) strategies, we can both understand the conventional problem-solving approach and a strength-based approach to solving problems.
To implement a strengths-based approach, there are some strategies that can be helpful. These include building on family strengths, working collaboratively, helping the family formulate a vision, boosting participation and involvement, utilizing environmental modification, and modeling high expectations.
Kruzich et al. (2003) reported families identified the following barriers as impeding involvement in their child’s care:
Distance from service providers
Caregiver’s work schedule
Cost of transportation
Lack of access to transportation
Child care arrangements
Cost of child care
Lack of communication between staff from different programs or agencies
Lack of open communication
Lack of opportunity or encouragement to participate in the child’s treatment
Inflexible visiting and meeting schedules
Lack of clarity about whom to contact with questions and concerns
Negative staff attitudes about the family
Restrictive policies
Lack of consideration for cultural values
They on to describe some strategies for supporting engagement with families:
Provision of a contact person
Notification of caregiver when something was wrong or if there were health or other concerns about the child
Flexible scheduling of meetings
Information about rights and grievance procedures
Comfortable and private space for meetings
Prompt return of phone calls
Inclusion of caregiver’s comments in the child’s records
Support for transitions into or out of services or programs
Communication with all relevant family members
Help with transportation costs
Help with telephone costs
Assistance with child care costs
Caregiver treated with dignity and respect
Caregiver made to feel that his or her participation was important
Caregiver made to feel welcome
All family members encouraged to participate
Responsiveness to the family’s cultural values
Reference
Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, Jr., G. H. (2015). Understanding Generalist Practice (Seventh Ed). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
Kruzich, J. M., Jivanjee, P., Robinson, A., & Friesen, B. J. (2003). Family Caregivers’ Perceptions of Barriers to and Supports of Participation in Their Children’s Out-of-Home Treatment. Psychiatric Services, 54(11), 1513-1518. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.54.11.1513
My history and connection with God have gone through different phases over the years. This article is ostensibly a book review for Matthew Fox’s Creativity: Where the Divine and Human Meet published in 2002, but I find that I have to start with where I am at in my life currently, which requires the context of where I’ve been. Growing up with my mom, I went to mass with my mom at Christ the King in Richland. As I got into High School, I got pretty lost in using drugs and alcohol. I lost interest in being involved in church. My mom even started paying cash (which unknown to her at the time I used to buy drugs) me to attend mass with her. After staying on in high school for the fifth year and being homeless, couch surfing, I ended up going to Jubilee Youth Ranch. At Jubilee, I had a pretty transformative experience based on accepting God into my life. You can read some of my story about going to Jubilee and some of the pain and difficulty I had a youth. Jubilee is no longer around in the form that it was when I graduated from High School there in 2001, but they still have a Facebook Page. Hagar (2008) writes about some of the effects of Jubilee shutting down. It appears that it has been taken over by West Master’s Ranch where you can still see the same facilities and what seems to be a reasonably similar program.
A photo of the cross at the top of the hill overlooking Jubilee Youth Ranch by Sophia LeeA photo of me preaching in the City of Goma in the Congo in 2002
At Jubilee, I ended up having a decidedly radical conversion experience and desire to start following after God. I remember getting close to graduation and not being sure what I was supposed to do with my life. I was committed to wanting to find what God wanted for my life, and I remember the experience of fasting and going up to the top of this hill that overlooks the boy’s ranch to spend time praying and meditating over what I should do next. That summer, soon after graduation, I went with a group on a mission trip to Africa. I ended up enrolling in a program called the Master’s Commission. Before I started, I ended up going to Africa on a Mission Trip. It was a leadership training/discipleship school (kind of like a bible college but focused on service). My program was at Victory Faith Church, and while they don’t have a page talking about the Masters Commission anymore, they do still have a VF School of Leadership. I wrote about my experience some in an essay, The Path to the Ph.D.: Intertwining My Experiences and Research Topic.
One of the things we focused on while I was in the Master’s Commission was around the concept of servant leadership. This is a photo of my fellow interns and I washing the feet of new students starting their first year in the program.
During the time that I was in the Master’s Commission, I had a strong faith that was following. During my time there, being engaged with a group of other students working towards changing the world was a meaningful experience. It was a powerful experience. After spending two years in the Master’s Commission, I felt I knew a bit about what I wanted to do. I wanted to earn my Masters Degree in social work and work with kids who have been through painful and traumatic experiences. I wanted to work with the problematic kids that were making poor choices in their lives. I moved back in with my mom in the Tri-Cities and started attending community college at Columbia Basin College to earn my AA as a transfer degree. While I was working on my AA, I started working at Jubilee as a staff member. I was also highly involved in the Baptist Student Ministries student club at school. There was a time I was the president of the group and spent a lot of time doing outreach events, connecting with my fellow students of faith, and going on some mission trips to Vancouver Brittish Columbia. During the same timeframe is when I first started blogging and doing more activities online. My old posts are at a different website; they are still there.
I was still very connected to my faith community at this point. My blog during those days was called “My Life Crucified,” and I mostly wrote about some of my experiences, working, being in school, and other things that I found interesting. Many of the posts were about faith. As I moved away from the Tri-Cities and living on campus at Eastern Washington University in their Social Work program, I became less involved in a specific religious community. After earning my BASW and my MSW, I ended up traveling through South America. I moved back to the Tri-Cities, but for years I’ve not been involved in church or related activities much for many years. Sometimes I go to mass with my family or with my mom, but that is about it.
Jacob says If you are interested in creativity and spirituality, it’s a great book
As a part of my coursework for Creativity and Personal Transformation at California Institute of Integral Studies, I recently finished reading Creativity: Where the Divine and Human Meet. It was a pretty compelling book. When I am around people talking about spirituality, I tend not to get very involved in the conversation. I’m kind of in a place where I’m not sure exactly where my faith is at currently. I’m not going to say this book has changed my perspectives or been life-changing or anything like that. I did find it engaging.
It seems that Fox’s primary argument is that there is a creativity that we can all tap into, and that creativity is connected to the divine. He says:
Creativity is not a noun or even a verb—it is a place, a space, a gathering, a union, a where—wherein the Divine powers of creativity and the human power of imagination join forces. Where the two come together is where beauty and grace happen and, indeed, explode. Creativity constitutes the ultimate in intimacy, for it is the place where the divine and the human are most destined to interact (p. 4).
I’ve not been exposed frequently to literature that sees the various religious beliefs as connected and sharing similar messages. Fox describes not just how creativity fits within a Christian tradition and in relationship to Jesus, but he also talks about buddha and other spiritual leaders. This creativity is seen at a cosmic level and individually. There are some examples of how we can connect creativity to education, our daily lives, relationships, and even politics. If you are interested in the intersection of spirituality and creativity, this is a pretty interesting book to check out.
Another short video created in Quick and shot on my GoPro and my iPhone, where we adventure to a nearby park to play on the toys and in the snow. I filmed this back in February of 2019, but didn’t end up uploading the video to YouTube or my website. The soundtrack is makers anthem.
With the bit of snow that we’ve gotten today, I’m actually kind of excited for the winter weather. It should be nice and I’m hoping for some more snow to come. I made a couple of videos last February (2019), and I realized I didn’t post them to YouTube / my website.
This first one is made using Quick and shot on my GoPro and my iPhone. It features a mini trip to go sledding at Carmichael Hill. The Music soundtrack is Daisy.
I’m a little bit buried with school work, teaching work, and my new job. One of my assignments this week is to write an amazon style book review. I listened to this book two times now, and have been reading thought it again. I’ve really enjoyed it. I didn’t want to post just a couple of paragraphs on Amazon, but wanted to write something here at the same time… so this is a little bit shorter than some of my other book reviews
Zolli and Healy (2012) offer a wide ranging, transdisciplinary look into the concepts resilience. They examine resilience from models related to the individual, groups and organizations, and from ecological systems. They also look at how resilience is facilitated by what they call translational leaders.
In the descriptions and understanding of resilience, their book is full of many examples of resilience through a number of different viewpoints. I found it an interesting viewpoint to be able to look at ecological resilience (such as examples realted to rainforest regrowth as the program focused on Regrow Borneo, Tree by Tree or how the oceans reefs are resilient) and making connections to how that resilience can and could be connected to the various systems at play in our world.
Along with systems, communities and the translational leaders that help to facilitate the resilience within them provide powerful examples how where our society can go, if we put forth the effort to look at our systems and increate collaboration through trust and cooperation (Zolli & Healy, 2012).
If you are interested in how do individuals, organizations, and communities can become more resilient, this book is an information filled read.
This morning, I’m taking a little bit of a break from paper writing, answering discussion questions, and generally focusing on my Ph.D. studies. My birthday is coming up soon and one thing that means is that I have to submit my renewal for my Licensure. In Washington State, as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), to keep my credentials up to date, I have to submit for my renewal every year on my birthdate. It can be challenging to determine the best way to stay organized and up to date on all of the requirements in our lives. To help me do this for my licensure, I’ve decided to create an annual report that I’m going to generate each year before submitting my renewal.
In Washington State, there is no requirement to generate an annual report such as this for licensure. There is an affidavit that is required to be signed stating that I am current in my licensure requirements. If I am ever audited, I will be required to provide documentation regarding my completion of these requirements. But even the required documentation is not very complicated. The Frequently Asked Questions Section for Continuing Education describes the following:
WAC 246-809-650 says acceptable documentation shall include transcripts, letters from course instructors, certificate of completion or other formal certification, as required in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7.
Again, my understanding of this is it is only necessary to provide this information if you are audited, and it is really not that much information. Because, I want to make sure that I am fulfilling my requirements, I want to be able to track that I have everything necessary and to be able to plan for what I need to do before the next year.
“Social workers must renew their license every year on or before their birthday. Thirty-six hours of continuing education (CE) with six hours in law and ethics is due every two years. Social workers are required to submit the appropriate fee, renewal card and an affidavit of compliance with the continuing education requirement. Beginning with the first full CE period after January 1, 2014, social workers must complete six hours of training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management. The training must be repeated once every six years.”
“Distance learning programs must be approved by an industry-recognized local, state, national or international organization or institution of higher learning. These programs must require tests of comprehension upon completion. Limit distance learning programs to 26 hours per reporting period.”
So, using the Drafts App I created a template that I can save in my OmniFocus task list. It’s just a repeating task, with the notes section having a blank version of my task template. While I’ve updated my system to use Shortcuts to track training that I participate in, my post Tracking Trainings Using Drafts and Launch Center Pro in 2014 is still relevant and could give you an idea how I am collecting some of this information to put into my report. I can take the information I’ve already created, and copy and paste the relevant sections and do some planning around what I need to do for the next year and poof I’m done. You can see the Markdown version of my report below:
LOTx [YEAR]x 10x Annual Report on CEUs for LICSWx
# [YEAR] Annual Report on CEUs for LICSW**Name**: Jacob Campbell
**License Number**: LW60930561
**Date**: [DATE]
**Purpose**: The purpose of this annually generated report is to keep track of the various continuing education that I have completed to be assured that I am meeting my licensure requirements to keep up to date with my LICSW.
## Requirements for Renewing LICSW
Information taken from the [Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker](https://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/ProfessionsNewReneworUpdate/SocialWorker/LicenseRequirements/LicensedIndependentClinicalSocialWorker) on the Department of Health Website states:
> "Social workers must renew their license every year on or before their birthday. Thirty-six hours of continuing education (CE) with six hours in law and ethics is due every two years. Social workers are required to submit the appropriate fee, renewal card and an affidavit of compliance with the continuing education requirement. Beginning with the first full CE period after January 1, 2014, social workers must complete six hours of training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management. The training must be repeated once every six years."
Of these 36 hours that can be completed, only 26 of those hours per reporting period can be using distance learning programs. See [Social Worker and Social Worker Associate Continuing Education Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/ProfessionsNewReneworUpdate/SocialWorker/ContinuingEducationInformation) for more details. It states that
> "Distance learning programs must be approved by an industry-recognized local, state, national or international organization or institution of higher learning. These programs must require tests of comprehension upon completion. Limit distance learning programs to 26 hours per reporting period."
The fee for the renew is $116.00. Information about the fees can be found at [Social Worker and Social Worker Associate Fee Schedule](https://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/ProfessionsNewReneworUpdate/SocialWorker/Fees).
To renew online I need to access [http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Renewals.htm](http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Renewals.htm). My SAW Service code is **[REDACTED]** and my DOH Online Renewal User ID is **[REDACTED]**.
## List of CEU's in Previous Two Years
The following is a list of CEUs that I have received, taken from my running table of CEUs located at [/Data Collection/Continuing Education Tracking.csv]([REDACTED]).
Date | Title | CEU Quantity | CEU Type
--- | --- | --- | ---
N/A | Total Number of CEUs | [NUMBER] CEUs | Both Requirements
[Copy CSV Entries and Include in the table above]
## Descriptive Information for Qualifying CEUs
The following are the entries I have created related to the various pieces of training for each of the training which meet the requirements for my LICSW Renewal. It is taken from [/notes/LICSWx Trainingx List of Training received.txt]([REDACTED]).
[Copy Text File Entries and Include Here]
## Needs for the Next Year
To keep up to date, the following are the needs for continuing education that should be completed during the next year.
* I have [NUMBER] CEUs ([NUMBER] In-Person and [NUMBER] Online) which will still be current for my [NEXT YEAR] renewal.
* I need to obtain [NUMBER] CEUs before my next renewal
* I need to obtain [NUMBER] CEUs related to [AREA OF NEED]
* A maximum of [NUMBER] CEUs can be done online before my next renewal
* My last training in _Suicide Assessment, Intervention, & Treatment_ which is required every six years was completed 02/20/18
The following is my plan to complete my CEUs:
- Verify that I have planned required CEUs for LICSW Six Months Prior to Deadline @parallel(true) @autodone(false) @context(Roles : Locus of Transformation) @tags(Roles : Locus of Transformation, Activities : Planning) @due(2020-04-18 17:00)
- Obtain 6 CEUs in Law and Ethics @parallel(true) @autodone(false) @context(Roles : Locus of Transformation) @tags(Roles : Locus of Transformation, Activities : Planning) @due(2020-10-18 17:00)
- Obtain 6 CEUs in General Area of Practice (#1) @parallel(true) @autodone(false) @context(Roles : Locus of Transformation) @tags(Roles : Locus of Transformation, Activities : Planning) @due(2020-10-18 17:00)
- Obtain 6 CEUs in General Area of Practice (#2) @parallel(true) @autodone(false) @context(Roles : Locus of Transformation) @tags(Roles : Locus of Transformation, Activities : Planning) @due(2020-10-18 17:00)
- Obtain 7 CEUs in General Area of Practice (#3) @parallel(true) @autodone(false) @context(Roles : Locus of Transformation) @tags(Roles : Locus of Transformation, Activities : Planning) @due(2020-10-18 17:00)
While it took me about two hours to figure out exactly what I want to be in my report, and the creation of it. I think that in the next several years, as I recreate this report, it should be super quick to do. It is very useful as a tool to determine exactly what I need to do for the next year. If you have your LICSW, I would highly recommend having both a system in place for how you track the training that you participate in and how you can be sure that you are fulfilling the requirements of your credentials.
The following is an infographic that I created based on Barron, Montuori, and Barron’s 1997 book Creators on Creating: Awakening and Cultivating the Imaginative Mind. Its a pretty interesting book. They took 39 creative people talking about their creative processes. You can by the book on Amazon. You can download a PDF Version of the Infographic - Creators on Creating.
The course work at the California Institute of Integral Studies Transformative Studies Department is all really based around this idea of creative inquiry. The idea of creative inquiry does not mean just studying something in an interesting way, although I would guess that could be a portion of it. In my thinking about it, and from reading about it as educational style, it is more of a worldview that somebody takes on and thinks about their academic scholarship.
One of the professors in our program, Alfonso Montuori and my teacher for Introduction to Transformative Studies, seems like he is pretty prolific in writing about both creativity and creative inquiry. He describes there being two educational styles that are dominate in academia separate from the concept of creative inquiry. One of them is reproductive, in that they they are about the person who is learning reproducing others work verses creating their own work. This style also could be described as more coming from the head verses the hear. He describes the second style as a narcissistic style, where the learner is looking internally for their learning, he even goes as far as to say it is all navel gazing. This style could also be described as more from the heart.
The way this frame works in my head, is that there is a continuum that these two styles are on either side of. One looking at the head and one looking at the hear. Creative Inquiry would be right in the middle of the two.
