National Organization of Forensic Social Work
460 Smith Street, Suite K, Middletown, CT 06457 Phone (860) 613-0254, fax (860) 613-1650, email pbrady@nofsw.org, www.nofsw.org
NOFSW Annual Conference Call for Presentations
1. Title: York Correctional Institution – ―Sisters Standing Strong‖ Peer Mentoring Program 2. Type of presentation: a. b. c. d. Pre-Conference Institute—4 hours, Pre-Conference Institute—8 hours Workshop—1.5 hours Workshop—3 hours
3. Presenters (repeat for each presenter, list primary contact first): a. Name: Elizabeth Allen, LCSW and Dr. Julie Guiher, Ph.D. b. Presenter Affiliation: York Correctional Institution - Connecticut c. Mailing Address: d. Phone number: e. Fax number: f. E-mail address: g. Professional license: state and number: CT 004858 h. Short biography including educational and experience information: I received my MSW from UCONN – school of Social Work in 1998. I have been employed for the State of Connecticut for over 17 years. I started my career at a Lead Mental Health Agency in Hartford, where I
2007 NOFSW Annual Conference Call for Presentations
worked closely with severely and persistently mentally ill clients in a day treatment setting. I have been a clinical social worker working with female offenders at York Correctional Institution in Niantic, Connecticut for the past 14 years.
Dr. Guiher received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts. She attained her doctoral degree in psychology with a specialization in forensic psychology from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology in Boston, Massachusetts. Her clinical training includes providing school counseling at West Roxbury High School, an inner city school in Boston, administering, scoring, and interpreting psychological assessment measures at Children’s Hospital - Boston, and providing individual therapy and coteaching life-skills courses to developmentally delayed young adults at Lesley College, Cambridge, MA. Dr. Guiher also completed a two--year internship with UCONN-Correctional Managed Health Care during which she provided psychological assessment and therapeutic services to male inmates, co-facilitated sexual offended groups, and held positions on interdisciplinary treatment reams. Dr. Guiher currently holds the title of Postdoctoral Fellow with University of Connecticut-Correctional Managed Health Care. In her current position she conducts psychological assessment, individual and group psychotherapy, program development and lectures at in-service trainings to Connecticut Department of Corrections and Correctional Managed Health Care staff. Dr. Guiher designed and facilitates a trauma-informed, gender-
specific mental health curriculum for Connecticut’s female correctional facility. Most recently, Dr. Guiher has developed curriculum for female survivors of sexual assault. 4. Synopsis of the topic: A new mentor program has been created through the mental health department at York Correctional Institution. It is a program that utilizes the incarcerated women to provide peer support to other female offenders. We have also created a supportive, empowering mental health newsletter that is written by the mentors for the entire population. The program will be discussed in length including the creation and inception, how it is affected by the custody restraints and the positive impact on both the women who are involved as well as the prison environment. 5. Explanation of the relevance of the topic to the profession: As social
workers, we are taught the effects the environment has on our clients. When attempting to empower our clients, in a negative and oppressive environment, we must be creative. This program is designed to offer an opportunity for the women to stand as role models to others. They are providing peer-supportive groups to other women. It is the hope of this program, that it will not only improve the quality of lives of those in the groups, but mostly those of the selected mentors.
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2007 NOFSW Annual Conference Call for Presentations
Expectations of others can be a great determinate of how the incarcerated woman behave, when it is expected that they will behave as role models to others, they can usually adapt to those expectations. And, it is the premise of this program that this will positively impact their lives in prison and when released! 6. Learning objectives (See samples at our web site): a. Participants will understand the policies and implementation process of the Mentoring Program with female offenders at York Correctional Institution. b. Participants will be able to identify the positive outcomes on the women who are involved, as well as the impact on the prison milieu. c. Participants will understand the complications involved in providing empowering services in an oppressive environment. d. Participants will better understand how the expectations of others will impact the behavior of our clients. 7. Describe how session content reflects current literature (within the past five years), materials and references, and how it relates to one or more of the following social work educational areas: As professionals, we must understand how the environment can affect client’s behavior, positively or negatively. In an oppressed environment, it can be challenging to empower the offender to feel better about themselve and therefore make positive choices for behavior. This program operates on the premise that if others have positive expectations of them, it will be easier to meet those expectations when involved in positive activities. a. Theories and concepts of human behavior in the social environment. b. Social work practice, knowledge and skills: i. Social work research, programs or practice evaluations ii. Social work agency management or administration iii. Development, evaluation and/or implementation of social policy iv. Social work generalist practice
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2007 NOFSW Annual Conference Call for Presentations
v. Social work clinical practice vi. Diversity and social justice c. Social work ethics. d. Other (please specify): This workshop will cover multiple areas of practice including, research, program development, clinical practice and social justice.
8. Format of presentation (lecture, panel discussion, etc.): Lecture and discussion, opportunity for questions and answers and a demonstration video. 9. Outline/timeline of presentation: 10 minutes – introductions and overview, 10 minutes – overview of all mental health services in general, 90 minutes– overview of program, including policy implementation, what worked and what didn’t, documentation to evaluate the efficacy of the program and positive changes on participants, 30 minute video or peer mentor group, 30 minute open discussion, questions and answer session; 10 minute wrap-up. 10. Level of presentation: Beginner X Intermediate Advanced
11. AV needs: over head for power point presentation. player for video of program.
also a TV with DVD
Presenters will be expected to provide NOFSW with handout material (PowerPoint slides, reference material, contact information, etc.) in electronic format not later than 3/24/2009. If the presenter desires to sell books, recording or other products or services at the presentation or conference, the presenter must request permission from NOFSW not less than thirty days prior to the program date.
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