SocialandEconomic Justice&Peace

SectionConnectionSocialandEconomic Justice&Peace

Lead is a highly toxic substance.Exposure even for a short durationcan produce a wide range of adversehealth effects. Both adults and childrencan suffer from the effects of leadpoisoning, but childhood leadpoisoning is much more frequent andwith irreversible consequences.

Many studies in the United States haveestablished the current medicalconsensus that lead causes seriousillness, including chronicneuropsychological deficits; seizures;mental retardation; and kidney, blood,and peripheral nervous systemdisorders. There is no acceptable limitor safe threshold of lead exposure forchildren. The U.S. Government andmany states have required deleadingobligations on a landlord whosetenants include a child under the ageof seven years. Environmentalistsdescribe deleading as, the removal orcovering of lead hazards in the home.It can include things like replacingwindows and woodwork scraping orcovering old paint and encapulation.

Despite the government’s effort andmultiple public health measures, riskfactors (waste, dust, and so forth)contributing to elevated blood leadlevels among children remain highin some neighborhoods.

There is even an assumption thatrefugee and immigrant communitieslive disproportionately in high-riskzones with substandard conditions andaging housing stock. Thesecommunities receive less protectionfrom waste disposal facilities than dowealthier and predominantly whitecommunities. This article is an attemptto reopen the discussion.

For example, upon arrival in theUnited States, most refugee familiesin Massachusetts are resettled in high-risk communities: Chelsea, Lynn,Worcester, Springfield, and Lowell.In one of these communities, Chelsea,29.4 percent of children under 18years of age live below the povertyline compared to 12.6 percent for theentire state of Massachusetts (U.S.Bureau of the Census, 2005–2007).

Although lead-based paint and dustin a home environment are believedto be the most likely source of thepoisoning for refugee children, thereare many other ways in which they areexposed to lead. Exposure comes fromcontaminated soil, air, drinking water,food, ceramics, home remedies, hairdyes, and other cosmetics. There iscurrently no data available regardingthe lead risk in cosmetics.

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©2009 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved.

LEAD EXPOSURE IN REFUGEE POPULATION:WHY SHOULD WE CARE?

Eric Kamba, MSW, MPH

ISSUE ONE – 2009

Lead Exposure in RefugeePopulation: Why ShouldWe Care? ............................1

Excerpts from NASW SocialWorkers Speak Out on theEconomy Fact Sheet ..............2

From the Settlement HouseMovement to Present Day:Social Workers ContinueWork with Refugees ..............5

Inside LA’s Juvenile Halls:Interview with a Social Workerin the Trenches ......................8

IN THIS ISSUE

Publication of articles does notconstitute endorsement by NASWof the opinions expressed in thearticles. The views expressed arethose of the author(s).

(Lead Exposure in Refugee Population, continued on page 3)

Issue One – 2009 • Social and Economic Justice & Peace 2

Social andEconomic Justice

& PeaceSectionConnection

A NEWSLETTER OF THE NASWSPECIALTY PRACTICE SECTIONS

SECTION COMMITTEE

CHAIRCarol Anne B. Langone, MSW, LCSW

Los Angeles, CA

Vonnie Brown, MSW, LCSWGreat Falls, MT

Aquilla Peterson, MSS, LSWWashington, DC

Salvatore Seeley, MSWRehoboth, DE

Susan Vallem, MSW, LISWWaverly, IA

NASW PresidentJames J. Kelly, PhD, ACSW

Executive DirectorElizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH

NASW STAFFDirector, Professional Development

and MarketingSusan Rubin, MA, MBA

Specialty Practice Section ManagerYvette Mulkey, BA

Senior Practice Section AssociateDenise E. Cramer, MSW

Project CoordinatorRochelle Wilder

EXCERPTS FROM NASW SOCIALWORKERS SPEAK OUT ON THEECONOMY FACT SHEET

What Social Workers are Saying

• Economic stress causes increased domestic violence:

“Economic stress is a very, very important factor in

domestic violence,” says Shoshana Ringel, an associate

professor of social work at the University of Maryland

School of Social Work and an expert on domestic abuse.

Ringel says that for many couples, financial problems

can “definitely push things over the line.” (Dec. 14, 2008.

The Baltimore Sun, “Hard Times Means More Abuse.”)

• Economic stress can lead to suicide: “Financial collapse,

economic downturn, either on a global societal level, or

even on a very personal level is often associated with the

kinds of despair that [lead to suicide],” says Jed Ericksen,

a licensed clinical social worker at Valley Mental Health.

(Jan 14, 2009.)

• Economic stress can cause depression: “The stress over

financial things in the economy is making it difficult for

people to function in their job. Not having a job is one

thing. But, having one and still not being able to take care

of the family the way you might want to? I think sometimes

that makes the average person do something they wouldn’t

normally do,” said Christine Stacey, a Licensed Clinical

Social Worker at A Beautiful Mind in South Bend.

(Mar 10, 2009, WSBT-TV, South Bend, IN

“Depression cases rise as economy falls.”)

Visit www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/2009/sweconomiccrisis.pdf to read the complete fact sheet.

3 Social and Economic Justice & Peace • Issue One – 2009

Geltman, Brown, and Cochran (2001) studied693 refugee children shortly after their arrival inthe United States who were resettled inMassachusetts from 1995 to 1999. The authorsconcluded that 11.3 percent of the childrenstudied had elevated lead levels >10 ug/dL(Geltman et al., 2001). According to theirfindings, the prevalence of elevated BPb levels inrecently arrived refugee children was more thantwice that of U.S.-born children.

Findings from the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention (CDC) in 2005 indicated thatblood lead levels in African refugee childrenin New Hampshire became elevated afterresettlement, suggesting their exposureoccurred within the United States.

As already stated, refugee children are at highrisk for lead paint due to socioeconomic factorsand some cultural practices. Today, the leadproblem seems to have been reduced but is byno means eliminated. Ingestion of lead-basedpaint chips and dust by children continues to bea social and public health problem. The dangersposed by lead-based paint and the devastatingchronic effects of lead poisoning should andmust be avoided.

What Should Be Done?

Lead poisoning can be prevented by regularscreening followed by educational programs.It is important children have proper nutrition andeat a balanced diet of foods that supply adequateamounts of vitamins and minerals, especiallycalcium and iron. Good nutrition lowers theamount of swallowed lead that passes into thebloodstream and also may lower some of its toxiceffects (CDC, 2009).

Trepka, Pekovic, Santana, and Zhang (2005)pointed out that immigrants are likely to belocated in poorer inner-city neighborhoods inthe United States. In interviewing immigrantparents, the authors realized that those parentsinterviewed had little understanding about the

harmful effects of lead and lead exposure on theirchildren. This topic doesn’t lend itself to a single-pronged approach—there is a tremendous needfor community education, activism, andengagement.

Social workers can let parents know they shouldtake the following steps to avoid lead exposurein their children:• ask if there is a lead inspection certificate

before renting an apartment, particularly ifthere are young children

• control dust and paint chip debris—cleanfloors with damp mop

• prevent children from eating dirt or puttingthings from the floor or ground into theirmouths without washing

• prepare foods for eating on a table orcounter—not on the floor

• change work clothes and clean up beforegoing home from a lead-related job

• avoid use of lead around the home forhobbies and other purposes

• use cold tap water for drinking, especiallywhen mixing infant formula

• avoid use of cosmetics or treatments madeoutside the United States and sold in localmarkets.

Social workers involved in resettling refugeesshould get training on lead prevention and shouldincorporate lead awareness in the orientation

(Lead Exposure in Refugee Population, continued from page 1)

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOUIf there are general themes or specificcontent that you’d like to see in the SectionConnection, or you have comments orquestions regarding anything you’ve readin current or past issues, let us know bysending an email to [email protected].


given to refugees upon arrival in the UnitedStates. We must recognize that lead paintcontinues to be both a social and publichealth problem and we need to work towardits elimination.

Eric Kamba, MSW, MPH, has worked for the past five years incommunity-based public health focusing on refugee and immigrantsocial determinants of health. Currently he is refugee health assessmentprogram administrator at Massachusetts General Hospital, servingChelsea and its surrounding areas. He is also executive director,Congolese Development Center, Lynn, MA, a nonprofit organizationthat delivers services to members of African refugee communities andpromotes mutual assistance and capacity building within communitiesin Massachusetts. He may be reached at [email protected].

ResourcesCenters for Disease Control Refugee Tool Kit:

www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/Publications/RefugeeToolKit/Refugee_Tool_Kit.htm

Massachusetts database on lead safe homes:http://webapps.ehs.state.ma.us/Leadsafehomes/default.aspx

ReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. (2005). Elevated blood

lead levels in refugee children—New Hampshire, 2003–2004.Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 54, 42–46.

Centers for Disease Control. (2009, March 13). What every parentshould know about lead poisoning in children. Retrieved March13, 2009, from www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/faq/cdc97a.htm

Geltman, P. L., Brown, M. J., & Cochran, J. (2001). Lead poisoningamong refugee children resettled in Massachusetts, 1995 to1999. Pediatrics, 108, 158–159.

Trepka, M. J., Pekovic, V., Santana, J. C., & Zhang, G. (2005).Lead poisoning among Cuban refugee children. Public HealthReport, 120, 184–185.

U.S. Bureau of the Census. (2005–2007). American communitysurvey: American factfinder fact sheet: Chelsea, MA,Retrieved May, 2009, from http://factfinder.census.gov/

THE PROFESSIONALADVANTAGE YOU DESERVE

Based on your knowledge, skills andexperience you may already qualify.Employers take notice of the ACSW credential. TheACSW is the profession’s most recognized and highlyrespected social work credential.

Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW)Distinguishes the experienced macro professional andthe MSW generalist

NASW Professional Credentials800.638.8799 ext. 447www.socialworkers.org/credentials


According to the Office of Immigration Statistics,a total of 48,217 refugees were admitted to theUnited States in 2007, the most recent statisticavailable (Jeffreys & Martin, 2008). ThePresident consults with Congress annually todetermine caps on the number of refugeeadmissions into the United States. TheImmigration and Nationality Act of 1980defines a refugee as:

A person who is unable or unwilling toreturn to his or her country of nationalitybecause of persecution or a well-foundedfear of persecution on account of race,religion, nationality, membership in aparticular social group or political opinion(Jeffereys & Martin, 2008, p. 2)

The social work profession has long beeninvolved in serving the refugee population in theUnited States. This is no surprise considering theUnited States has been a country of immigrantsfrom its inception. The roots of social work areembedded in the settlement house movement,which came to the United States from Britainin the late 19th century (NASW, n.d.). Thesettlement houses offered social services, suchas food assistance, clothing assistance, highereducation, and basic needs, to new arrivals.

Southwestern Pennsylvania

Southwestern Pennsylvania, which includes theCity of Pittsburgh, is home to a large immigrantpopulation. A significant number of theseimmigrants were admitted to the United States asrefugees. Most refugees who come to the UnitedStates arrive with little more than the clothes ontheir backs and a few bags containing all theirpossessions. Many have spent years in crowdedrefugee camps. Most have suffered enormousphysical and emotional trauma. Yet they all bringthe same hopes and dreams that accompanied

previous generations of newcomers seeking thefreedom and opportunities so widely recognizedas “America’s promise” (Ethiopian CommunityDevelopment Council, n.d.).

In the Pittsburgh region, there are threeorganizations that assist refugees. These agenciesemploy social workers who work with thisspecialized population to assist them withintegrating into their new communities. CatholicCharities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh RefugeeServices Program (CCRS) has helped to resettlemore than 10,000 refugees in the Pittsburgh areasince 1975 (Brown, 2004). The Jewish Familyand Children’s Service of Pittsburgh (JFCS) hasworked with refugees for over 70 years insouthwestern Pennsylvania (JFCS, n.d.). ThePittsburgh Refugee Center (PRC) wasincorporated in 2003 and works to “empowerrefugees to become self-sufficient and integratedinto their new communities” (PRC, n.d.).

Roles of Social Workers

Social workers play a vital role in the day-to-daywork of agencies serving the refugee population.Of the three aforementioned organizations, CCRSand JFCS are resettlement programs. Both ofthese programs offer assistance to refugees infinding adequate, safe, and affordable housing inthe Pittsburgh region (CCRS, n.d.; JFCS, n.d.).Often this will result in refugees from the sameregion and country being resettled in the sameneighborhood. This allows for integration tooccur with more ease as well as helps withpreserving their cultural heritage, which can bevery important for refugees who may havefeelings of loss and hopelessness.

Another important role social workers can playis in case management services, which PRC andJFCS offer. The JFCS offers bilingual casemanagement and medical case management

FROM THE SETTLEMENT HOUSE MOVEMENT TO PRESENT DAY:SOCIAL WORKERS CONTINUE WORK WITH REFUGEESNathaniel Morley, MSW


services. Both agencies offer case management toassist with linking individual and families withcommunity resources as well as responding to theneeds and concerns of individuals and families.One of the first linkages needed may be mentalhealth services. As mentioned above, manyarriving refugees have endured various levels oftrauma, including but not limited to war, torture,being forced to leave one’s homeland, terrorism,and rape (PRC, n.d.). The PRC also offerscultural adjustment services to its clients, whichinclude “culturally sensitive assessment andcounseling for refugee families and individuals;bilingual dissemination of information onaccessing community resources; follow-up ofreferrals for social, medical, education andemployment services; translation andinterpretation services” (PRC, n.d.).

All three organizations offer job readinesstraining, job placement services, and assistancewith finding affordable childcare (CCRS, n.d.;JFCS, n.d.; PRC, n.d.). According to CCRS, 90percent of refugees who come to the Pittsburghregion are able to find employment within thefirst three months of their arrival (CCRS, n.d.).All three organizations also offer assistance torecent arrivals with learning or improvingEnglish-speaking skills (CCRS, n.d.; JFCS, n.d.;PRC, n.d.). The JFCS also assists withnaturalization preparation (JFCS, n.d.). Otherimportant services that social workers areinvolved in between the three organizationsinclude acculturation classes, raising publicawareness of the refugee population, traininglocal services providers to work with thispopulation, advocacy in the local community andschool settings, and internationally by endingwarehousing of refugees in camps (CCRS, n.d.;JFCS, n.d.; PRC, n.d.).

Challenges Faced by Social Workers

Immigrants arrive in the U.S. with theirmind first, followed by their body. Incontrast, refugees arrive body first, and

only much later do they adapt their mindsto their changed conditions. Refugees arehere because they had to flee a place theyloved. That difference shapes many aspectsof refugee adaptation to the U.S. (Yan,2006.)

Yan (2006) cited three main challenges that needto be overcome in working with the refugeepopulation. The first is the language barrier.Often, refugees have not yet learned English andcannot read, write, understand, or speak Englishand visa versa for the social worker who workswith them. It is important to utilize interpretersas much as possible. Yan (2006) suggests thatwhen an interpreter is not available, a friend,family member, other worker, or communitymember be utilized. This author also suggestsensuring that the person interpreting is fluent inthe language to avoid any misinterpretations.This may be important in languages that havesubtle nuances which vary from region to region.Also, it is important to offer assistance torefugees with interpretation when dealing withcommunity agencies, such as hospitals, courts,social services agencies, and schools (PRC, n.d.).

The second challenge cited by Yan (2006) is thatof cultural competency. As social workers, weare bound by our Code of Ethics to practice ina culturally competent manner (NASW, 2008).Yan suggested that cultural competency can helpeliminate, overcome, or reduce cultural barrierswhen working with refugees and communities.Lack of cultural competency causes problems.Yan gave the following recommendations forincreasing cultural competency:

• involve refugees in projects and learn howthey approach or interact with their ownpeople

• make friends with refugees and learn moreabout them and their cultural practices, makepersonal contacts, and attend communitycultural events such as New Year celebrations


• invite guest speakers to talk about how toimprove working with a specific community

• volunteer at local agencies by tutoringEnglish, teaching citizenship classes, orbecoming a board member

• develop peer networks with refugees andinvite them to share their own cultures andbusiness practices

• have (or hire) staff from relevant refugeecommunities in order to provide culturaland linguistic services appropriate for thoserefugee communities.

The third challenge cited by Yan (2006) is thelack of experience in working together betweenrefugees and social workers. He suggested thatthe problems range from differences incommunication styles, work styles, levels ofpatience, lack of trust, to personality differences.In order to alleviate these problems, herecommends learning the protocol for howauthority is given and how authorities withinthe culture communicate, gaining anunderstanding of the groups’ concept of time,and planning for differences to arise and be ableto address these differences appropriately.

In conclusion, social workers are often on thefrontlines of working with various refugeegroups. Our Code of Ethics dictates that in ourpractices we treat people with dignity, integrity,and respect and that we are culturally competentwhile we do this. We are also compelled to workfor social justice for all (NASW, 2008). Advocacyboth in the United States and abroad is anintegral part of working with this population.Relationships and trust are keys to beingsuccessful in this work. The cookie-cutter

approach will not work as each group, clan,family, culture, and tribe are different.Continuous education and possibly re-educationwill be needed to do well in work with thispopulation.

Nathaniel Morley, MSW, is the specialist and staff developmentcoordinator for KidsVoice–Child Advocacy, Pittsburgh, PA. He maybe reached at [email protected].

ReferencesCatholic Charities of Diocese of Pittsburgh. (n.d.). Refugee services.

Retrieved April 17, 2009, fromwww.ccpgh.org/Refugee.cfm?from=services&link=&dv=

Ethiopian Community Development Council. (n.d.). What we do.Retrieved April 17, 2009, from www.ecdcinternational.org/whatwedo/heritage.asp

Jefferys, K. J., & Martin, D.C. (2008, July). Refugees and asylees:2007. In Annual flow report. Washington, DC: Office ofImmigration Statistics. Retrived April 17, 2009, fromwww.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/publications/ois_rfa_fr_2007.pdf

Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Pittsburgh. (n.d.). Servicesfor refugees and immigrants. Retrieved April 17, 2009, fromhttp://jfcs.bluearcher.com/refugee.asp

National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of ethics.Retrieved April 17, 2009, fromwww.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp

National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Refugees. RetrievedApril 17, 2009, from www.socialworkers.org/research/naswResearch/substanceAbuse/Refugees/Refugees.asp

Pittsburgh Refugee Center. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved April 17, 2009,from www.pittsburghrefugeecenter.org/about.htm

Yan, Y. (2006). New Americans, new promise: A guide to the refugeejourney in America. St. Paul, MN: Fieldstone Alliance.


Brian Adair is a licensed clinical social workerat one of the three juvenile halls in Los Angeles,housing approximately 550 youths incarceratedfor various crimes, ranging from the not soserious to the very serious. On any given day,approximately 150 to 200 of these youths, calledminors in the juvenile hall setting, are under thecare of mental health services. Los AngelesCounty Department of Probation, the entityresponsible for juvenile halls and the minorshoused there, contracts with the Los AngelesCounty Department of Mental Health, and itis for this contracted agency that Brian works.

Brian started working in juvenile hall becausehe wanted to give back to his community bycontributing his skills to a hard-to-treatpopulation right in his own neighborhood. Hehad worked previously in a local hospital witha challenging outpatient population where hedeveloped advanced therapy skills. After workingat his new job, however, it turned out that thechallenges were more significant than he hadeven anticipated.

Working in juvenile hall can be scary when youhave clients who have committed serious crimes(Pearlman, 2005) and don’t want to talk to you.It is not unheard of for social workers to bestruck or otherwise injured by minors duringa session, or when they are just walking throughthe building and a riot breaks out—violencewithin the system is not uncommon(Pearlman, 2005).

Brian was assigned to a residential housing unitfor high-risk offenders with charges includingrape, attempted murder, murder, assault with adeadly weapon, and car jacking. Brian quicklyfound that staff safety relied heavily on knowingthe probation staff, and if they knew you and

trusted you, they would make sure you were notphysically at risk. Much of his time during thefirst months on the unit was getting to know thestaff and building their trust in him. Often socialworkers and mental health staff in general wereviewed by probation staff as spies for child abuseservices or as a source of complaints to probationmanagement about their behavior and attitudestoward minors. Getting the trust of the probationstaff was the first step in being able to provideservices to the minors in need of mental healthcare. Having a panic button or yelling for helpwas meaningless if no one responded to the calls.Having successfully overcome this importanthurdle, Brian then concentrated on honing hisskills with the clients he treated.

The unit Brian worked on had about 60 maleminors and about a quarter of them met thecriteria for mental health services. His typical daystarted with checking in with the unit probationstaff and asking if any crisis occurred overnightor over the weekend that needed his immediateattention. Minors who were involved in fightsor expressed thoughts of suicide were consideredhigh priority, and he planned his day aroundseeing these clients first. Having a set therapyschedule was not always practical, as there wereenough crises during the night and subsequentworkday to keep him busy.

All the therapy staff carried a caseload of 20 to25 cases. Some of these cases were not alwayson the assigned unit, and staff members mightcome to work and find their clients had beenmoved from one unit to another overnight, whichrequired they be very flexible in their schedulesand their prioritizing. Additionally, therapistsmight find their clients had been moved to oneof the other two juvenile halls for “populationbalancing”— keeping the numbers of youths

INSIDE LA’S JUVENILE HALLS:INTERVIEW WITH A SOCIAL WORKER IN THE TRENCHESCarol Langone, LCSW


housed in the three halls at a balanced level isnot easily accomplished unless they are movedabout. The challenge, though, for therapiststrying to track down their cases and make suresubsequent juvenile halls are aware of theirclients’ therapeutic needs could be timeconsuming and even overwhelming at times.

A saving grace is the role of officer of the day,a crisis-driven position that is in place seven daysa week, with a staff therapist taking care of themost significant emergencies of the day andallowing the rest of the staff therapists tointervene with their clients after stabilization hasoccurred. The officer of the day and the assignedtherapist work closely together to make sureclients’ needs are being met. Brian makes surethat coordinating with the assigned officer of theday is not overlooked.

Brain notes it took him roughly a year to developthe skills he needed to fully engage his clientsin therapy. Initially, he found minors would beindifferent to his interventions or would outrightrefuse treatment as they didn’t seem to think hecould understand their needs. Indeed, Briancommented he worked best with minors whowere new offenders and seemed to be morereceptive to mental health services. In addition,the minors initially were able to manipulate himand use therapy as a way in which to get specialprivileges, because the ability to work the systemis a key component to incarcerated youths beingable to create a better living environment forthemselves. Indeed mental health staff found thatdecisions they made about the mental health carefor their clients often had to be tempered by theknowledge of what privileges might be given ortaken away and in what manner the outcomeswould be beneficial or harmful to the treatmentprocess. Not only are there minors who enhanceor outright fake their psychiatric symptoms as away to have judges give them lighter sentences,but also probation housing gives specificprivileges to youth receiving certain mental healthservices. Therapists, including Brian, note minors

gain privileges from being under the care ofmental health specialists, and sometimes thisknowledge leads therapists to make decisions notrelated directly to the symptoms identified by theminors if they believe the overall mental health ofthe minors will be improved by having theseprivileges.

In terms of physical safety for himself and theminors, Brian feels he works in a well-run unitwhere probation staff rarely call in sick and workin a cohesive unified manner to make sure thatunit violence is limited. Units not so well run areplagued by the fighting and manipulations of theyouth who preyed on unskilled or uncommittedstaff. Mental health staff do not feel safe on theseunits, but on Brian’s unit, not subject to theseproblems, he reports feeling safe in the range ofan 8 on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being theleast safe. Well-run cohesive units also providebetter safety for minors, keeping down theviolence and making sure individual minors arenot put at risk.

Brian notes that he receives excellent supervisionfrom his immediate supervisor, and mental healthmanagement is supportive of staff safety andadvocates for them with probation management,which in turn is also proactive in making suremental health staff feel safe on the units.

Brian finds that his skills as a social workerenhance his ability to provide outstanding mentalhealth care to his clients. The ability to workwithin systems—engaging the family andmaintaining open communication with the othergroups involved—is a necessary skill. Mentalhealth staff must keep in the loop, not just thepsychiatrist and probation staff, but also theteachers and counselors who can provide inputregarding client behaviors in the schoolroom.Having an overall sense of what is going onduring the day-to-day life of the client assists indeveloping an overall treatment plan that is morecomprehensive than it might be otherwise.


Brian has found his work in juvenile hall to bevery challenging—initially overwhelming butultimately fulfilling and rewarding. Those minorswho have made progressive steps toward betterlifestyles and demonstrate minimal psychiatricsymptoms give him a sense of satisfaction. Heis passionate about what he does and he reportsthat his profession as a social worker has allowedhim to give a chance to youth who otherwisemight not have had that chance. It is with thisknowledge to support him that Brian seeks tocontinually develop and enhance his skills as aclinical social worker.

Carol Langone, LCSW, is a program director in Los Angeles workingwith the severely mentally ill. She worked for three years in juvenilejustice as a supervising psychiatric social worker. She can be reachedat [email protected].

ReferencePearlman, A. (2005). Inside the Crips by Colton Simpson. New York:

St. Martin’s Press.

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