Tulane School of Social Work

What does social work look like at summer camp? 🤔

Online MSW student Sydney Panfil is completing her practicum education at Henry S. Jacobs Camp, a Reform Jewish summer camp for youth ages 7-16 in Utica, Mississippi. Every morning, the Camper Care team meets to share updates and discuss the day’s tasks – which can range from practicing coping strategies with campers to mediating disagreements between cabinmates to coaching counselors on how to best meet their campers’ needs.

The youngest unit of campers attends the camp for just two weeks. Thanks to social work support and activities designed to help build social and life skills, Sydney says they leave the camp more confident, more independent, and more equipped to navigate real-world challenges.

Our Porter Cason Institute for the Family hosted a seven-hour military mental health seminar for 37 providers from Louisiana and the surrounding states after identifying the need for stronger mental health support for Louisianian families connected to the military.

The session, Introduction to Military Culture and the Military-Connected Experience, was led by Star Behavioral Health Providers (SBHP), a nonprofit organization funded through the National Guard Bureau that offers free military-informed continuing education workshops for social workers and other mental health providers and hosts a directory of trained civilian providers who serve military-connected populations.

Prior to the training, there were only 24 mental health providers in Louisiana on the SBHP directory – in comparison to more than 3,600 nationwide. That’s despite the state being home to more than 200,000 veterans and 12,000 active-duty service members. Now, the number of trained civilian providers has more than doubled to 58.

Are you interested in attending a future training? Let us know in the comments. ⬇️

We are excited to announce that Dr. Scott Batey has been appointed as Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs & Faculty Development! Dr. Batey plans to build a strong relational culture by committing to the well-being and professional flourishing of every person at Tulane School of Social Work, communicating openly, and establishing connections with and between students.

Prior to joining Tulane School of Social Work in 2022, Dr. Batey served as faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Social Work with dual appointments in the School of Medicine’s Department of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases and the School of Public Health’s Department of Health Behavior.

His research centers on the social and structural determinants of inequities in HIV prevention and treatment, with particular attention to delivery of interventions and strategies that eliminate gaps in across the HIV Care Continuum, improve health outcomes for people at risk of acquiring HIV, and reduce health-related stigma.

Tulane School of Social Work is a top 28 school of social work. Through a continued commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and service, Dr. Batey hopes to rise even higher in the rankings.

The Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy's Consortium for Emergent Disaster Resilience (CEDR) has been awarded a planning grant from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The grant will allow CEDR to convene community partners, who will conduct additional needs assessments in their respective communities. CEDR will then synthesize that research and work with partners to develop comprehensive solutions to New Orleanians most pressing problems.

CEDR is proud to partner with Grace at the Green Light, Dr. Nyoki Cosey-Brown Counseling, Ubuntu Village NOLA, lowernine.org, Louisiana Just Recovery Network, Bayou Community Foundation, and Common Ground Relief for this important work.

July is . What should social workers know about disability?

For one, it may impact more people than you think.

Join us in welcoming Tona Zwanziger as director of our Practicum Education department! A graduate of both Tulane’s Master of Social Work and Master of Science in Disaster Resilience Leadership programs, Tona has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a steadfast commitment to student success at TSSW.

As Director of Practicum Education, Tona will continue advancing TSSW’s commitment to academic rigor and excellence while strengthening relationships with the more than 700 partner agencies and organizations across the nation that play a vital role in preparing Tulane's social work students. Her leadership will focus not only on ensuring high-quality practicum opportunities, but also cultivate a space where students feel supported and connected throughout their professional education journey.

Beginning in Fall 2026, she will oversee the monumental task of transitioning all practicum placement and oversight activities to an in-house model, streamlining communication, increasing responsiveness, and providing more personalized support to students as they navigate their practicum placements and professional development.

Let's talk tees. Which design would you buy in our presale store? These are just mock-ups — leave your ideas in the comments. ⤵️