January, 2000
   Volume 3, Issue 1

Those of you who are old enough can remember   Social Workers who chose private practice were accused of trying to be junior psychiatrists. The fact is that whenever a new venue opens up to a new group, there is someone or some group who  feels threatened  and are ready to denounce the new group. The same can be said for marriage mediation, an area for which Social Workers are eminently qualified to practice... It was, however, a threat to lawyers who wanted to keep divorce and mediation in their own practices and so fought the effort to include social workers and marriage counselors.

SOCIAL WORKERS' COMPETENCY AT ISSUE, AGAIN
Here we go again...Those who have been reading the NASW's Newsletter know what I mean. As more Social Workers are brought into Court proceedings to testify as to what they know about the allegations of abuse, either sexual or otherwise, they are being attacked for rendering their findings. It appears	Social workers still talk and listen to their clients.	that others are trying to make Social Workers the cause for the increased number of allegations of childhood sexual abuse by suggesting we are not properly trained to assess such complicated problems. Whose belly are we gorging? Defense attorneys trying to defend their clients from such charges; other professional groups who have come to make their living through "expert testimony"; psychologists and/or psychiatrists to name two other professions. Social Workers report what is seen  and social workers have the training and experience to do it. So what‚s the beef? Maybe it's a "turf" issue...
The Maple Clinic has added two new therapists: we have reinforced our services to children through the elderly.

KATHLEEN FALLER, PH.D. coming to T.C.
We have the honor of presenting an all day Seminar featuring Dr. Kathleen Faller on April 28, 2000 here in Traverse City. Dr. Faller is a Professor of Social Work at the University of Michigan and an author of many books and articles. She, and The University of Michigan's Family Assessment Center recently survived a legal challenge to their compentency to diagnose and treat individuals who allegedly were abused. Social Workers called to testify in similar	cases can expect harassment and attempts at intimidation by defense attorneys whose job it is to protect his or her clients interests. Usually such defense will use an expert from another professional field...some in fact without any clinical experience... to testify theoretically about children's fantasies, and "suggestability".   Our Seminar next Spring is gradually coming together. The Honorable Philip E. Rodgers, Jr. will open the morning session	and Prosecutor Charles H. Koop will open the afternoon session. Those attending our last seminar know what a treat it is to have these two gentlemen as a part of our program. Then the bulk of the day will be taken up by Dr. Faller who will share with us all the nitty gritty of Court proceedings for Social Workers and how important it is to have confidence in our training and experience. Register online at http://www.Mapleclinic.com/ seminar.htm