Guest Post by Kathleen Osborne (Dec '18)

Kathleen Osborne, MSW/MPH student (Dec '18)

When I am asked why I chose to pursue two Masters Degrees rather than one, I frequently include the importance of interprofessional competence in my answer. All too often in my life, I have interacted with individuals who are unable to approach problems from a variety of perspectives, therefore limiting their ability to help create lasting solutions. Because of this, I have always strived to be the most dynamic thinker possible when approaching both my education and my work. By collaborating with experts in a variety of fields with a multitude of competencies, students and professionals alike will not only become more successful in their careers, but more effective and empathetic people as well.

In the field of public health, preventing avoidable harm or suffering for all people is the top priority. By utilizing scientific research, observational data, and immense economic resources, public health professionals develop lifesaving programs and procedures every day, all around the world. This mission strongly complements, and arguably demands, the ethics and goals of the social work profession. While some may view the passion for social justice as a limitation in the working world, I view it as a personal perspective that has led many to develop an emotional resiliency that allows them to assist the most vulnerable people in our society.

“Public health social workers approach their work from an epidemiological and a social perspective and have the benefit of training in both prevention and intervention. Public health focuses on prevention at the community level, and social work focuses on intervention at the individual level” (Van Pelt, 2009). To me, this emphasizes that one profession cannot possibly be wholly successful without the other. Because human beings’ needs are ever evolving and multifaceted, it makes logical sense that there would continue to be an increased need for professionals with a variety of qualifications and proficiencies to serve modern needs. For example, while social workers predominantly aid marginalized individuals and families living in poverty who are in need of governmental assistance, those same individuals are most likely facing food insecurity, chronic illness, and negative mental health outcomes; all issues that should concern public health officials who work in and for those same communities. “Poverty reduction and achieving a minimum set of development goals are recognized as a global priority. The sense of urgency comes from awareness of the magnitude of suffering, disease, and premature death in the world today that are caused by social factors and widening inequalities” (Jong-wook, 2005). In my opinion, it is no coincidence that the rise in demand for public health social workers in this country is coming at a time where we are experiencing heightened political adversity and resentment (Van Pelt, 2009).

I am immensely proud to be pursuing a dual-degree. I look forward to marketing myself as having both the compassion of a social worker and the technical skills of a public health practitioner, while recognizing that those two qualities are not mutually exclusive. Because of this interprofessional dual-degree program, I have developed a willingness to authentically understand the struggles of my peers, a humble desire to make life better for those in need, and an unrelenting passion to give back to my community.

- Kathleen Osborne, MSW/MPH candidate, expected graduation December 2018

Visit Kathleen's LinkedIn profile.

References

Jong-wook, L. (2005). Public health is a social issue. The Lancet, 365(9464), 1005-1006.

Van Pelt, J. (2009). Social work and public health—perfect partners. Social Work Today, 9(1), 28.

Social work and public health: United by principles of prevention - Guest post by Abby Burns (Dec '18)

Abby Burns, MSW/MPH Student (Dec '18)

"The major health problems to be solved today are those which require social work intervention" (Watkins, 1985, p. 17).

Social work and public health are complementary perspectives for analyzing and addressing disparities in mental and physical health outcomes. Being a dual-degree professional in these two fields enables us to integrate their perspectives in flexible and dynamic ways. Possessing both an MSW and an MPH also comes with the responsibility to support the value of each perspective in our future careers. In a public health-oriented setting, an MSW/MPH professional can emphasize the importance of cultural sensitivity and tailoring interventions to match the needs and strengths of a specific group. In a setting that is dominated by social workers, an MSW/MPH professional can advocate for the use of evidence-based interventions and can push for the incorporation of rigorous process and outcome evaluations into an organization’s activities.

Social work’s focus on vulnerable populations can benefit from the prevention-oriented perspective of public health, and vice versa. In public health social work, prevention can take the form of preventing either the causes or sequelae of vulnerability. Take, for example, the vulnerable population of people with cognitive disabilities. Public health social workers can develop and evaluate programs to serve pregnant women with alcohol use disorders, which would constitute primary prevention of in utero alcohol exposure, the leading cause of cognitive disabilities of known etiology (Paley & O'Connor, 2011). Public health social workers could also create and implement transitional housing or educational programs for emerging adults with cognitive disabilities.  Such programs would constitute secondary prevention of the social and health consequences that occur when these emerging adults are unable to integrate into their communities.

The overlap between social work and public health is evidenced by the many similarities in each discipline’s code of professional ethics—the “Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers” and the “Principles of Ethical Practice of Public Health,” respectively (National Association of Social Workers Delegate Assembly, 2008; Public Health Leadership Society, 2002). Both documents identify meeting the basic human needs of every community member as a fundamental goal. They both include advocating for the representation and allocation of resources for disadvantaged and disenfranchised groups. Both documents also discuss the importance of confidentiality and trust, and describe the balance that must be struck between individual autonomy and the exercise of power for the good of a community.

The public health document mentions the importance of prevention, which is not mentioned in the ethical code for social workers. Primordial prevention is a framework for improving population health by addressing the economic, environmental, social, and cultural conditions which act as risk or protective factors for a variety diseases. Primordial prevention creates living conditions that are conducive to healthier communities, thereby addressing the common root causes of diseases. These conditions are already the targets of social work interventions, even if the stated goals of those interventions do not explicitly mention primordial prevention. One example would be a program that aims to increase high school graduation rates by mentoring students who are considering dropping out. This would constitute primordial prevention because having a high school diploma is associated with a lower risk for many different health problems.

Social work organizations often struggle to secure funding for programs that address these root causes of poor health. Dually-trained professionals in public health and social work can use their understanding of disease causation and epidemiology to strengthen the case for these programs. Their public health training enables them to incorporate data, in forms such as community needs assessment and correlational analysis, into grant applications or presentations to policymakers on the local, state, or federal level. Using their social work training in communication skills and stakeholder engagement, they can tailor this evidence base to the values and characteristics of the intended audience. In this way, they can secure funding and obtain buy-in for their prevention efforts.

Their interdisciplinary training further equips MSW/MPH professionals to understand the intersectionality of the social determinants of health. A study of birth outcomes among middle class women living in Chicago illustrates this intersectionality. Researchers found that women who lived in racially mixed census tracts tended to have superior birth outcomes compared to women who lived in predominantly African American tracts. The researchers cited superior socioeconomic contexts in less racially segregated neighborhoods as a possible explanation for this finding. However, the direction of this effect was reversed for African American women, such that these women had poorer birth outcomes if they lived in a racially mixed versus a predominantly African American neighborhood. The researchers concluded: “The positive effect of a better socioeconomic context may be countered for minority women by adverse effects of racism or racial stigma” (Pickett, Collins, Masi, & Wilkinson, 2005, p. 2229).

The unique challenges that face older adults who are LGBTQ provide another example of intersectionality among the social determinants of health. Maddux (2011) found that two thirds of LGBTQ adults over the age of 65 live alone. Many are estranged from their families, so they do not have the option to rely on a family to provide care and assistance later in life. They are likely to hold off longer than non-LGBTQ adults in seeking help, often until a medical crisis occurs. When accessing home health care services or entering a residential care facility, they often re-enter the closet to avoid discrimination and abuse. Sometimes, LGBTQ older adults are forced to cycle through several home health workers or care facilities before they find professionals who will treat them with dignity and respect (Maddux, 2011). MSW/MPH professionals are ideally trained to grapple with this issue by working within community-based organizations and programs. In Boston, the LGBT Aging Project conducts trainings and workshops for health care professionals, case managers, and others who wish to improve their competence and sensitivity in working with LGBTQ patients (Fenway Health, 2017). Other community organizations provide safe spaces for LGBTQ older adults to gather and socialize. These organizations help their clients to create networks of social support, which increase the likelihood that they will be adequately cared for when the time comes that they can no longer live independently. Public health social workers could contribute to both types of programs, and thus work to eliminate the health care disparities that LGBTQ older adults experience.

Dually-trained practitioners in social work and public health are uniquely equipped with the knowledge and skills to understand and intervene in the intersections between health and social conditions, like those described above. They are powerfully positioned to not only comprehend the causes and sequelae of a health problem, but also to implement prevention or treatment programs through direct practice. These programs could be delivered to individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, or even entire communities, and could be administered within private, public, or non-profit settings. Regardless of their client level or work place, public health social workers bring an invaluable perspective to addressing the most pressing health problems that face our society.

- Abby Burns, MSW/MPH student, expected graduation December 2018 

Visit Abby's LinkedIn Profile.

References

Fenway Health. (2017). LGBT Aging Project. Retrieved from http://fenwayhealth.org/the-fenway-institute/lgbt-aging-project/

Maddux, S. (Writer). (2011). Gen Silent [Film]. San Francisco, California: Kanopy Streaming.

National Association of Social Workers Delegate Assembly. (2008). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Retrieved from https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/default.asp

Paley, B., & O'Connor, M. J. (2011). Behavioral interventions for children and adolescents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Alcohol Research & Health, 34(1), 64-75.

Pickett, K. E., Collins, J. J. W., Masi, C. M., & Wilkinson, R. G. (2005). The effects of racial density and income incongruity on pregnancy outcomes. Social Science & Medicine, 60, 2229-2238. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2004.10.023

Public Health Leadership Society. (2002). Principles of the Ethical Practice of Public Health.   Retrieved from https://www.apha.org/~/media/files/pdf/membergroups/ethics_brochure.ashx

Watkins, E. L. (1985). The conceptual base for public health social work. In A. Gitterman, R. B. Black, & E. Stein (Eds.), Public health social work in maternal and child health: A forward plan (pp. 17-34). Washington, DC: Division of Maternal and Child Health.

What it means to be a dual professional - Guest Post by Kenrica Sands (Dec '18)

Kenrica Sands, MSW/MPH Student (Dec '18)

Functional, versatile, inconspicuous (as in other professions may not understand your purpose), and innovative accurately describe a dual professional, also referred to as an interdisciplinary professional. This individual simultaneously identifies in two different disciplines - public health and social work. This dual identity affords an individual the opportunity to develop and enrich skills in two different fields that share a common principle - prevention. “Prevention, by definition, enhances human well-being by preventing major problems of living” (McCave & Rishel, 2011). A dual professional embodies a multi-method approach to combating social health challenges such as “globalization, increased migration, natural and manmade disasters, persistent chronic diseases, and resulting health disparities” that affect domestic and international populations (Ruth, 2008). Further, both “professions values and goals, such as reducing health disparities among oppressed and vulnerable populations, are consistent with a preventative approach to practice” - the beautiful commitment that marries the two professions (McCave & Rishel, 2011).

One can visually relate a dual professional to wearing a skort. The professional may appear as having one skill set and pedagogy but truly there is another set of skills and pedagogy unseen. Dual professionals have the advantage of wearing multiple hats at once or switching hats when necessary. These individuals have mobility, flexibility, and opportunity to impact lives on a micro and macro scale. In regards to the academic jargon around dual professionals, one can attest to “ public health social work as [being] based on an epidemiologic approach to preventing, addressing, and solving social health problems” (Ruth, 2008) . In academia, a dual professional embodying public health and social work has greater functionality and skillset that equips them with a different perspective when approaching various social health problems. Professionally, this individual has the capacity to work in multiple service arenas such as federal, state, and local. The individual also has both leadership and teamwork skills required to work on multidisciplinary teams. Dual professionals withhold a special characteristic of being able to serve in different ways on a team from collecting and synthesizing data to conducting bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessments. These dual professionals make for great team members that bring a unique quality and drive that brings forth justice socially, economically, and
environmentally.

I believe that dual professionals, more specifically public health social work professionals, are unique tools that many people do not understand how to use. Dual professionals are trained and equipped to work towards eliminating inequities and bringing homeostasis to communities in efforts to increase quality of life. As this field grows, innovative approaches will be the cutting edge sword fighting back systems of oppression and discrimination.

- Kenrica Sands, MSW/MPH student, expected graduation December 2018

Visit Kenrica's LinkedIn profile.

References
McCave, E. & Rishel, C. (2011). Prevention as an explicit part of the social work profession: a systematic investigation. Advances in Social Work. 12(2), 226-240.
Ruth, et al. (2008). Public health and social work: Training dual professionals for the contemporary workplace. Encyclopedia of Social Work. 20, 1-11.

Rachel Ward receives prestigious Boren Fellowship

Rachel Ward, MSW MPH Student

Rachel Ward, current MSW MPH student, has been awarded a prestigious Boren Fellowship to conduct Zika research in Brazil.

The Boren Fellowship is awarded through the National Security Education Program to graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Per their website, "Boren Fellows represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. In exchange for funding, Boren Fellows commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation."

Rachel says, "As a dual degree student in Public Health and Social Work with undergraduate degrees in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Spanish, this opportunity feels like a culminating experience that ties together a number of my academic and professional pursuits over the past eight years. With the much-appreciated help of many professors and colleagues, particularly Dr. Jane McPherson, who connected me with public health and social work professionals in Brazil (thank you, Dr. McPherson!!), I proposed a 6-month long research project in Recife, Brazil. My research concerns ways in which the United States can learn from Brazilian public health response systems to the Zika Virus and similar vector-borne diseases. I am also interested in ways in which social work organizations can provide systems of support during epidemics. As our climate continues to get warmer, I believe the United States will begin to experience more of these epidemics that Brazil and the rest of Latin America have been battling for ages. Through language acquisition and experience abroad, I am eager to be a part of the literal and figurative 'translation' of public health response systems between Latin America and the United States. 

This past year, I received a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship from the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute at the University of Georgia to study Portuguese and begin preliminary research to prepare for this opportunity. I did independent research with Dr. McPherson to study Brazilian health messages concerning the Zika virus. Through my research and personal interests, I have found many ways in which Brazilian health promotion can guide our own health messages in the United States. Once in Brazil, I will continue field observation of these messages, while also working with a team of researchers at a Brazilian university on the Zika response in Recife, Brazil. I also hope to partner with local non-profit organizations to provide support for mothers of babies with the congenital syndrome associated with Zika virus. I am interested in surveying the unique social and economic needs of these mothers affected by the Zika virus and research how the Brazilian healthcare system is responding to the medical needs of their children.

When I return, I hope to secure a job at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta in the field of Global Health or Maternal-Child Health, utilizing my Portuguese and Spanish language skills in a way that promotes global health security."

Congratulations, Rachel on this prestigious award!

Surviving and Thriving in the Dual Degree Program - Guest Post by Maddie Winchester (Dec '18)

Maddie Winchester, MSW/MPH student (Dec '18)

Today, probably for the hundredth time, I found myself in the position of having to explain to someone what it means to be a dual degree social work and public health professional. Since the dual field is relatively new and often unheard of, questions like this come up a lot, but luckily I never tire of bringing awareness to this intersection of disciplines and the incredible people who are drawn here. Unfortunately, I often feel like I don’t have the time to do the dual degree justice when I try to come up with a quick answer. I find myself stammering out an incoherent sentence or two about the ways the fields complement each other and what my interests are, but always seem to leave feeling like I’ve left something out. This semester, I’ve spent a lot of time working to better understand what it means to be a dual degree professional and what I hope to do in the future, and have been able to get a much deeper (and hopefully more eloquent) understanding of interdisciplinary practice. In this post, I offer not only my own understanding of the dual professional identity, but also my advice for getting through the MSW/MPH degree – surviving and thriving in the dual degree program.

For me, being a dual degree professional means working on multiple levels at the intersection of social work and public health. We work in both prevention and reaction, and on every level ranging from micro to macro. We work with individuals and communities with one common goal: to better the lives and environments of those with whom we practice. Social work and public health practitioners work in a field that’s small, but growing (Jackson, 2015). We come from disciplines with shared values and a shared perspective about the importance of environmental factors on individual wellbeing (Sable, Schild, and Hipp, 2012). Dual degree social work and public health practitioners work in fields with a growing emphasis on the social determinants of health and on working to eliminate health disparities (Jackson, 2015; Congress, 2013), and we serve as advocates, not only for clients and the policies that affect them (Congress, 2013), but also for ourselves and the important role that we can play.

So with this deeper understanding of what it means to be a dual degree professional in mind, here are some words of wisdom for those considering this program or one like it:

1. Get your elevator speech ready – as I’ve said, you have no idea how many times you’ll need to explain why you chose the dual degree and what you want to do with it to your uncle’s wife’s sister, your friend’s ex-boyfriend, your mailman, etc.
2. Prepare for chaos. Being a graduate student can get messy, especially when you’re in two programs that don’t always communicate perfectly. Practice patience and flexibility. 
3. Say “social ecological model” and “person-in-environment framework” a lot. If you aren’t sure what the answer is in class, you’ll be right about 30 percent of the time if you throw one of those out there.
4. Jump in! Put yourself out of your comfort zone and you’ll be surprised by how much you can learn from your classes, field placements, and relationships with peers and professors. 
5. Learn to separate and navigate between feelings and facts. While your innermost feelings and reflections are requested in your Theory and Practice with Families course, there’s likely not a place for them in your Introduction to Epidemiology paper. 
6. Do research that you’re excited about. Papers and projects are a lot more fun when you’re passionate about your subject matter and willing to explore a new topic.
7. Advocate for yourself. Know your value and the unique skill set that you bring, and don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself when you’re being overlooked or brag (just a little) about your dual perspectives and abilities.
8. Take advantage of your time in Athens. Get involved not only at the University, but also in the community. Explore the city and have fun. Two and a half years seems long at first, but you’ll be surprised by how quickly it goes.
9. Learn to channel your rage into something positive. It can be disheartening and overwhelming to be constantly faced with trying to fix all of the hard things in the world, but remember that you can make a difference and these degrees will help you get there.
10. Worm your way into your cohort members’ hearts. Write your program plans together over coffee. Go for hikes and runs. Eat pizza and tacos. Drink wine and tequila (not simultaneously). Lay in the sunshine. Go dancing. Laugh, cry, and rely on each other. 

I’m here to tell you that not only is the dual degree possible, but it’s something special and something that is needed. If the dual degree is right for you, I can’t wait to meet you. I’ll be here, doing my best to navigate the wonderful chaos of the MSW/MPH program and to grow into the best social worker and public health professional that I can be.

- Maddie Winchester, Class of Dec. 2018

References
Congress, E. (2013). Ethics for Public Health Social Workers. In Keefe, R. H & Jurkowski, Elaine T. (Eds.), Handbook for Public Health Social Work (pp. 21-36). New York, New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Jackson, K. (2015). Public Health Social Work: Now More Than Ever. Social Work Today, 15(6): 12-14.
Sable, M. R., Schild, D. R., and Hipp, J. A. (2012). Public Health and Social Work. In Gehlert, S. (Ed.), Handbook of Health Social Work (2nd ed.) (pp. 64-99). Wiley.

Guest Post by Mary Bills (Dec '18)

Mary Bills, MSW/MPH Student (Dec '18)

In my opinion, being a dual professional and being able to work inter-disciplinarily are two different things but compliment each other. Working inter-professionally to me means being able to represent your discipline at a table full of professionals from other disciplines, and collaborate effectively on issues by approaching them from the different disciplines. As dual degree professionals, we have a unique perspective that allows us to incorporate multiple disciplines to our inter-professional work. Being able to wear two “different hats” and represent both social work and public health in an interdisciplinary setting is a unique skill set specifically dual degree professionals can supply. This unique perspective we are gaining through the University of Georgia’s MSW/MPH program became more apparent through out the semester in our inter-professional identity development, as well through the progression of the program as a whole. 

I often find myself using my social work lens in my public health classes, to bring up issues of marginalization or gaps in services more traditionally thought of in social work, such as mental health services or case management. One of the things I have enjoyed a lot about the dual program thus far is the way that the two lenses overlap to create new opportunities for research and interventions. An example of this is the Sexual Health Education Program that I designed for my resource development and program implementation class. I was able to design what would be traditionally thought of as a public health intervention, for my social work field placement agency, which serves youth in foster care. Throughout my research in developing this intervention, I was able to learn more about the population I was serving every week, assess gaps in social services, and create a health education program for a vulnerable population. This kind of overlap was the reason that I chose the MSW/MPH program, so that I would develop skill sets to serve marginalized populations through clinical and larger scale interventions.

Although the overlap is great, there is always a sense of differentiation between public health and social work that students of the program are constantly trying to navigate. This is not a unique problem for dual degree students, as it was explored in the McCelland (1985) article, Joint Degrees: Do They Strengthen or Weaken the Profession?, which found that students in dual degree programs often over identify with one profession over the other.  While I do feel that I identify more as a social worker, I don’t feel that this in any way devalues my interest or passion for public health. I have wanted to become a therapist for years, so an MSW was a natural path for me to obtain that goal. When I first applied to the dual program, I knew I would be attending the University’s MSW regardless of my acceptance into the MPH program. However, as I get further into my MPH course work, my appreciation for program interventions and serving population groups over individual clients has grown greatly, and often balances out the frustrations of working with individuals.  I look forward to working at both micro and macro levels in the future, and am only able to do this because of the dual degree program.

Interdisciplinary work is a growing trend as professionals try to tackle population level issues the Grand Challenges of Social Work to “ensure healthy development for all youths” and “stop family violence”  (Williams, 2016). Social workers alone cannot eradicate these issues on our own, and it will take effective collaboration between social workers, medical professionals, law enforcement, and other professions to effectively address multifaceted issues to create a healthier society. As dual degree professionals, we can offer a dual perspective in an interdisciplinary team, and continue to serve vulnerable populations through our interdisciplinary skill sets.

- Mary Bills, MSW/MPH Student, expected graduation December 2018

Visit Mary Bills' LinkedIn profile.

References

Williams, J. H. (2016). Grand challenges for social work: Research, practice and education. NASW

McCelland, R. (1985). Joint degrees: Do they strengthen or weaken the profession? Journal of social work education 21(1), 20-26.

Guest Post by Samantha Elliott (Dec '17)

Samantha Elliott, MSW/MPH student (Dec '18)

In December of 2017, I plan on officially embarking into the life of a dual professional. In this inter-professional field I will identify myself as both a professional social worker, as well as a professional public health practitioner. In brief, I intend on using the title social work and public health practitioner. To the common bystander this may sound like a mouthful of jargon. In that case, I will proceed to discuss the unique lens through which social work and public health practitioners tackle problems and engage clients.

Listed in the Handbook for Public Health Social Work by Robert Keefe, PhD, ACSW and Elaine Jurkowski, PhD, MSW are the competencies and guidelines directing field practitioners. One such competency shows the intertwined values and beliefs shared between the social work and public health fields. Under the theoretical competencies it states that public health social workers “recognize various strengths, needs, values, and practices of diverse cultural, racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups to determine how these factors affect health status, health behaviors, and program design” (p.366 Keefe, 2012). This competency reveals the social work skill to operate in cultural humility with clients of all backgrounds, while also utilizing the ability to understand how social determinants of health affect those populations. Having that understanding only builds upon the expertise social work and public health practitioners have in creating or evaluating programs for these vulnerable populations.

Because this is a relatively uncommon interdisciplinary skill set, one necessary attribute of social work and public health practitioners is to engage in the collaborative leadership process. Collaborative leadership is the process through which professionals from various disciplines gather and engage in open discussion over a problem with the collaborative leader facilitating the conversation (Community Toolbox, 2014). This competency of the field is also labeled as, “networking inter-multidisciplinary team building and group processes” in the Public Health Social Work Handbook (Keefe, 2012). The uniqueness of this skill is in high demand because the work between professions can quickly come to a standstill due to competing values if the skilled facilitation of the collaborative leader is not present. Social work and public health practitioners excel at these skills and are an asset to all interdisciplinary teams.

Another primary foundation of interdisciplinary social work and public health practitioners is taking the socio-epidemiological approach to prevention and management of health issues (Jackson, 2015). When taking the socio-epidemiological approach, it means asking the question, “What effect do social factors have on individual and population health?” (Honjo, 2004). This is the perfect blend as an interdisciplinary worker because it looks at a client through the lens of a whole-person approach, also known as person-in-environment. Socio-epidemiology also considers the systems approach, taking note of the policies, environmental circumstances, and economics at play affecting the individual and population. This approach is increasingly necessary as culture continues to shift and grow.

In summary, being an interdisciplinary social work and public health practitioner is a wonderful gift. It encourages humility, constant learning, honor for all professions and the engagement of colleagues around you who might not see the world the same way you do. These differences are not to be squandered, but uplifted and brought together by interdisciplinary workers in all fields.

- Samantha Elliott, MSW/MPH Candidate, December 2017
Graduate Research Assistant, Economic Evaluation Research Group, College of Public Health

Visit Samantha's LinkedIn Profile.

References
Community Toolbox. (2014). Chapter 13-Section 11: Collaborative Leadership. Community Toolbox. Retrieved from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/leadership-ideas/collaborative-leadership/main
Honjo, K. (2004). Social epidemiology: Definition, history, and research examples. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 9(5), 193-199. doi:10.1007/BF02898100
Jackson, K. (2015). Public Health Social Work: Now More Than Ever. Social Work Today, 15(6), 12.
Keefe, R. (2012). Handbook for public health social work: Springer Publishing Company.

What it Means to be a Dual Professional - Guest Post by Devon Brown (Dec '18)

Devon Brown, MSW/MPH student (Dec '18)

Most people do not consider themselves to be single-track or unidimensional people, yet we’re instructed to build our career paths around one profession. When we’re little and asked the stereotypical question, “what do you want to be when you grow up?”, very few of us name one job and stick with it through our lives. For example, I vividly remember wanting to be a veterinarian, an archeologist, a fashion journalist, an art historian, and a psychologist. I never did figure out a way to combine all of those careers. In fact, I did not realize until I started hearing the term dual degree, that I could actually pursue an advanced degree in more than one field at a time. I suppose what I did not realize until very recently was that I wanted to be a dual professional – somebody with a knowledge base and skill set that bridge two professional fields, typically fostering a more creative, comprehensive, and communicative work style.

My pending role as a public health social worker encapsulates the dynamic benefits and challenges of being simultaneously trained in more than one professional arena. Both fields share an emphasis on social justice, addressing the social determinants of health, and tending to both the environmental and personal factors related to health outcomes. As so succinctly defined by Kate Jackson, public health social work “stresses a socio-epidemiological approach to the prevention and management of health issues” (Jackson, 2015). Health status exists as a byproduct of socioeconomic status, environmental factors, and pre-existing personal biology. The dual nature of being trained as an MSW and MPH translates to an ability to assess a physical or mental health situation as something beyond a singular moment or cause. We understand both that prevention begins before the onset of a palpable problem, and that treatment must extend beyond the problematic situation at hand. Public health social workers also recognize that there are usually a number of barriers faced by individuals and communities in trying to implement preventive and treatment measures, focusing much of our work on addressing these various blockades through direct and program-level approaches. We have the opportunity to show people their own personal power while we concurrently work to address the external factors that may have previously hidden their inner superhuman from themselves. Our interdisciplinary training as dual degree students teaches us to approach problems with the clarity that more than one perspective must be taken in order to establish a more robust understanding and develop an optimal solution (Repko, 2014).

While a key difference between social work and public health surfaces in the occasional contradiction of client self-determination and population health risk, the dual emphasis on “the dignity and worth of the individual and the importance of human relationships” provides a compass for ultimate decision making (Jurkowski & Keefe, 2013). Certainly, the ethical friction between individual health and population health will always be an issue, but I’ve learned that the provision of our expertise as public health social workers can soften the potential clash and help us to establish a compromise. We have the knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate positive communication across several professional levels, and we take this role very seriously in all parts of our lives. My experience with fellow public health social workers continues to illustrate the personal embodiment of our professional ethics, competencies, and standards. I feel deeply grateful to so often find myself surrounded by people who value the potential in all people and who carry a daily passion for equity and advocacy.

Perhaps my interdisciplinary role as a public health social worker is actually the perfect blend of my little-girl grown-up career goals because in this profession I get to offer support to those in need, constantly learn about and appreciate different cultures, engage with a rainbow of people, study the more scientific aspects of health and wellbeing, and work to bring beauty into people’s lives.

- Devon Brown, expected graduation December 2018

Visit Devon's LinkedIn Profile.

References

Jackson, K. (2015). Public health social work: Now more than ever. Social Work Today, 15(6), 12.

Jurkowski, E. T., & Keefe, R. H. (2013). Handbook for public health social work. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

Repko, A. F., Szostak, R., Buchberger, M. P. (2014). The interdisciplinary studies “Cognitive toolkit.” In Introduction to interdisciplinary studies (pp. 49-61). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE. 

My Interdisciplinary Self - Guest Post by Haley Miranda (Dec '18)

Haley Miranda, MSW MPH Student (Dec '18)

While I had a vague idea of what interdisciplinary collaboration was before beginning the Dual Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work program here at UGA, I had very little understanding of what such collaboration could look like on a practical level. On a broad scale, I have come to understand interdisciplinary collaboration as any situation where more than one perspective is used to develop understanding or solutions to circumstances or challenges. When applying this broad definition to a single person, a dual professional could be considered one person who simultaneously carries the contrasting, yet overlapping, perspectives of two different disciplines or professions.

With interdisciplinary work comes the dire importance of perspective taking, which is “the intellectual capacity to view a problem or subject…from alternative viewpoints, including disciplinary ones, in order to develop a more comprehensive understanding of it” (Repko et al, 2014). Through the development of the skill of perspective taking, dual professionals are able to reconcile differences among the professions in which they are trained as well as among professionals with which they collaborate.

For example, public health social workers are trained to “blend the preventive aspect of public health and the problem solving orientation of social work," developing a more holistic view of issues at hand. In addition to this, direct practice skills can be effectively utilized to aid in inter-group communication, where public health social workers can serve as a translator between various disciplines or professions.

This kind of perspective taking is especially important when considering the many “issues that continue to plague our society and call for a more comprehensive, integrated approach” (Jackson, 2015). The deeper I delve into my studies, the more I observe the complexity of the challenges our world faces. However, I find hope in the idea that strong, interdisciplinary collaboration and an increased capacity for perspective taking “enables us to adopt a broader perspective, improves efficiency when integrating information, and facilitates assembling new sets of potential solutions to complex problem[s]” (Repko, 2014).

Increased creativity and sustainable solutions are two of the most promising benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration, especially among social work and public health professionals. I experienced this first hand at an interprofessional education event hosted at Brenau University. The table I was placed at included an occupational therapy student, two physical therapy students, a nursing student, and a physical therapy faculty member. We were given a case study and asked to brainstorm solutions and develop a treatment plan for our client. I am still surprised at the varying perspectives and priorities of each discipline, and recognize the immense number of issues I would have failed to consider had I not been working with an interdisciplinary team. Complexities that I am not trained to address were brought up by each team member, and we were able to develop a more comprehensive plan of action because of our differing, yet important, perspectives. This event was a lesson in perspective taking for me, as I witnessed its power to “reduce stereotyping of those who are different than [I am], improve decision quality by enabling [me] to deal with multiple inputs, and increase creativity” (Repko, 2014).

“From the very beginning of social work in the United States, public health and social work have walked hand in hand, working to understand the issues faced by populations at risk, engaging the community on solutions, and then pushing for societal changes to ensure that the successes will be longstanding,” and I am honored to continue this intentionally sustainable work (Jackson, 2015). My hope is that I will continue to develop a capacity for perspective taking within myself and teams I engage with. I have come to learn that interdisciplinary collaboration is happening everywhere, all I have to do is choose to take part with humility and watch as my view begins to widen.

- Haley Miranda, December 2018

Visit Haley Miranda's LinkedIn Profile.

Resources

Jackson, K. (2015). Public health social work: Now more than ever. Social Work Today Magazine, (15)6, 12.

Repko, A.F., Szostak, R., & Buchberger, M.P. (2014). The interdisciplinary studies “Cognitive toolkit.” In Introduction to interdisciplinary studies (pp.49-61). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.

Guest Post by Tamar June (Dec '18)

Tamar June, MSW/MPH Student (Dec '18)

I wish to introduce myself as Tamar June, a first year Master's in Public Health and Master's in Social Work student. I am honored and humbled to be part of this dual program at the University of Georgia as what I now know of the benefits of interdisciplinary work seem to align perfectly with my experiences and interests moving forward into the workplace and ultimately the way I wish to live and interact with the surrounding community.

I have been at the University of Georgia for nearly 5 years and during that time have gained even more of an appreciation of how UGA interacts with my hometown of Athens. I grew up attending the schools within the Clarke County School District and find myself consistently advocating for outreach into our community to engage families in all that the university has to offer. Through my understanding, it is an imperative to give back knowledge and skills learned through collegiate studies to the communities we live in in creative and innovative ways that can engage more than one profession into multi-faceted projects and programs. The American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (2016) cites to just this by encouraging the creation of social responses to a changing environment. Environmental changes negatively affect health, and the changing global environment requires social and policy responses, innovative partnerships, community engagement, and human security interventions to strengthen individuals and communities (American Academy of Social Work, 2016).

The concept of a ‘dual professional’ means to me an individual who employs multiple frameworks of understanding together, even if they are in seeming discordance with one another. While the ethical priority of a clinical social worker may be to protect and value the self-determination of the individual first and foremost, the ethical priority of a public health practitioner is necessarily to protect the population and engender sustainable health. When situations come that test the boundaries of either profession, it should not be the denying of values or ethics that plays out, but rather the creative marriage of the two – how can we both protect our population, foster prevention and health, and encourage self-determination. This can and should be accomplished, and it is dual professionals that may lead the charge.

Thinking more abstractly, we are all multi-professionals. We have our employment(s), our homes, our schools, our activism, our churches, where we are able to share our thoughts from and for different perspectives. Identity as a dual professional comes with directly and explicitly finding constant balances and doing so by building cross-profession collaboration and appreciation. Collaborative networks seek to bring disparate groups together so that they can work effectively and synergistically together. Brokers support the controlled transfer of more specialized knowledge between groups, serve to increase cooperation by liaising with people from both sides of the gap, and improve efficiency by introducing ideas and solutions from one isolated setting into another (Long, et al., 2013).

As a prospective dual professional in Social Work and Public Health, I intend to represent both of my professional affiliations with respect and dignity, as well as curiosity for further development and success. This is how professions evolve and I fervently believe that the contributions that MPH/MSW practitioners will make to both fields, will be integral in the ever changing identity of both Social Work and Public Health in addition to Social Work Public Health.

- Tamar June, MPH/MSW Candidate (December 2018)

Visit Tamar June's LinkedIn Profile.

References

American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare. (2016). Build financial capability for all. Retrieved from http://aaswsw.org/grand-challenges-initiative/12-challenges/build-financial-capability-for-all

Long et al. Bridges, brokers and boundary spanners in collaborative networks: a systematic review. BMC Health Services Research. 2013, 13:158

Congratulations Taylor Kennedy on receiving the Georgia Gerontology Society graduate award

Taylor Kennedy MSW/MPH Student (Dec '18).

Congratulations to Taylor Kennedy (Dec '18) on receiving the Georgia Gerontology Society graduate award. Taylor is a MSW/MPH student with concentrations in Clinical Practice and Gerontology. 

The scholarship is awarded to outstanding graduate students who are committed to pursuing a career in the field of aging.

Congratulations on this achievement, Taylor!

Visit Taylor Kennedy's LinkedIn profile.

MSW/MPH Spring 2017 Graduate: Jacqueline Tachman

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Congratulations to our newest MSW/MPH graduate, Jacqueline Tachman, MSW, MPH, who graduated in Spring 2017 with a MSW (Clinical concentration) and MPH (Gerontology concentration).

Integrated Field Placement:
Jackie completed her integrated field placement at the Athens Community Council on Aging, where she conducted needs assessments for clients at the Center for Active Living. She also assisted the Meals on Wheels staff with daily operations, including volunteer coordination, meal deliveries, and safety checks via phone.

Service: 

Jackie was the president of the UGA Gerontology Club for two years. The objective of the organization is to engage across students across academic disciplines in service and scholarship related to the field of Gerontology. She recently created that summarized the UGA Gerontology Club's efforts during the 2016-2017 academic year.

Research:

Jackie co-authored a paper with Dr. Tiffany Washington of the School of Social Work titled "Gerontological Social Work Student-Delivered Respite: A Community-University Partnership," which was published in the Journal Gerontological Social Work. Jackie also assisted Ms. Ellie Lanier in the School of Law, with a multi-state study on barriers to limited guardianship. Further, Jackie worked as Dr. Kerstin Emerson's Teaching Assistant for the undergraduate Aspects of Aging course in the College of Public Health.

Presentations:

Jackie attended the Annual Southeastern Student Mentoring Conference in Gerontology and Geriatrics twice as a graduate student. Next year, she will return as a keynote speaker. In 2017, Jackie was awarded first place for her presentation related to her Public Health capstone project on unmet fall prevention needs among homebound older adults. In 2016, Jackie was awarded third place for her presentation on an innovative dementia caregiving service-learning course developed by Dr. Tiffany Washington.

Honors:
Jackie was a recipient of the 2017 Mary Ann Johnson Aging and Health Scholarship and the 2016 Outstanding Gerontology Graduate Student Award. She was also inducted into the following academic and professional honor societies: Delta Omega (Public Health), Phi Alpha (Social Work), Sigma Phi Omega (Gerontology), and Phi Kappa Phi (Interdisciplinary).

Post-Graduation Plans:

After graduation, Jackie will work at the Athens Community Council on Aging as a Home Delivered Meals Specialist.

Visit Jackie's LinkedIn profile.