NORTHAMPTON - Created in 1918, the Smith College School for Social Work was founded to help meet the needs of veterans returning from World War I.
Today, SSW is helping aid veterans by shaping instructional tools like "Coming Home: Military Families Coping with Change," a Sesame Workshop production that focuses on how to help young children cope with the sometimes turbulent return of deployed parents.
It's also doing more.
The school is now involved in research projects, field work and a few years ago launched a scholarship program for veterans. One of the school's professors, Kathryn K. Basham, has served on two Congressionally mandated committees researching veterans issues.
When it comes to aiding veterans, the SSW takes the philosophy that the entire community must be engaged in promoting a soldier's well-being. Families, medical providers, employers, friends and the community at large all need to be aware of challenges veterans face - and find ways to help.
"This is much broader than the VA ... communities in many ways have to help," said Carolyn Jacobs, SSW dean. "It has to be the spirit of the community, it can't just be social services or just medical services. These are our brothers and sisters and we have a responsibility to them."
What follows is a summary of other work ongoing at the school:
¿ Congressionally MANDATED Committees: Basham now serves on the a committee through the Institute of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and the Academy of Sciences on TRICARE. The committee assesses the licensing and certification requirements necessary for clinicians to practice effectively on veterans. The committee will make recommendations about the type and quality of care that providers should be making available to veterans.
She previously served on the Committee for Gulf War and Health Physiological, Psychological and Psychosocial Defects of Deployment Related Stress. Basham also works as a consultant on veterans mental health issues and recently attended a conference in Canada to share international information on the topic.
¿ Scholarship: Since 2006, the college has provided a full master's of social work degree scholarship to a deserving veteran who wants to enter the field. The scholarship guarantees full tuition for the 27-month program, as well as on-campus room and board during the summer.
¿ Publications: This fall, the school will publish a journal that will include presentations and papers from the school's summer 2008 conference, "Combat Stress: Understanding the Challenges, Preparing for the Return."
The conference attracted soldiers, veterans, a representative from the Walter Reed medical facility as well as scholars from across the country.
¿ Research: Basham is involved in a pilot research program with Jean D. Laterz, an associate professor in the SSW, in which they interview post-deployment couples. The goal is to better understand how people who have served overseas make the transition from the battlefield and back to home life.
¿ Field Work: Students in the master's degree program are required to conduct field research and many provide services to veterans affairs hospitals and treatment centers. There are now 18 SSW students placed at VA's nationwide, with three students serving at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Students keep in touch with the campus through telephone seminars conducted by Basham and Anthony C. Hill, SSW's associate director for field work.