Nonprofit
to work with first research university in the nation with a military-focused
social work program
NEW
YORK, NY, January 16, 2013 – Hope For
The Warriors® is excited to announce its partnership with the top-ranked
University of Southern California School of Social Work to train Master of
Social Work students who are enrolled in the online MSW@USC program. This is the first partnership of its kind,
matching a top-ranked social work program with a nationally recognized
nonprofit organization that specializes in meeting the needs of today’s active
duty members and veterans. Hope For The
Warriors® is a national nonprofit organization that assists combat wounded
service members, their families, and families of the fallen.
USC
is the first prestigious research university to offer a national accredited,
web-based MSW degree through its Virtual
Academic Center. As with the on-campus program, the MSW@USC includes hands-on
training through internships in students’ communities.
USC
was the first social work program at a
research university to offer a military social work specialization that
prepares graduate-level students to address the unique mental health needs of
veterans and their families. In addition
to coursework, each student must also complete a 550-hour internship working
with a military-focused population.
Through the partnership, students will be able to complete their
internship with Hope For The Warriors® under the supervision of an experienced
master social worker.
“Hope
For The Warriors® has witnessed the needs of our military families grow
significantly due to the impact of more than 10 years of combat operations,”
Tina Atherall, LMSW, Hope For The Warriors® Executive Vice President, said. “We
are excited to work with USC students who have a passion for working with this
population and increasing their competency in the specific culture of the
military and their families.”
According
to the National Association of Social Workers, the United States has an
estimated 207 social workers for every 100,000 people nationally. By 2018, the
country will need an estimated 100,000 more.
“USC
is committed to addressing this mental health professional shortage head on and
helping positive change take root across the nation. The first step was making
our flagship MSW degree program available to more students who can now actively
engage in the learning process— wherever they live—and one day create the
change they seek in their own communities,” said USC School of Social Work Vice
Dean R. Paul Maiden.
Launched
in the fall of 2010, the Virtual Academic Center’s highly advanced web-based
platform uses social networks and face-to-face, interactive technology to
conduct live classes and connect students across the United States.
About
Hope For The Warriors®:
The
mission of Hope For The Warriors® (www.hopeforthewarriors.org) is to enhance
the quality of life for post-9/11 service members, their families, and families
of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line
of duty. Hope For The Warriors® is
dedicated to restoring a sense of self, restoring the family unit, and
restoring hope for our service members and our military families.
Hope
For The Warriors® has earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator
(www.charitynavigator.org), an independent organization that evaluates fiscal
responsibility and accountability of nonprofits.
About
the USC School of Social Work:
The
University of Southern California’s School of Social Work
(www.usc.edu/socialwork) ranks among the top social work graduate programs in
the nation. Its mission to prepare students for leadership roles in public and
private organizations that serve individuals, families and communities in need
is achieved through value-driven, scholarly and creative social work education,
research and professional leadership. Known for the quality of its MSW clinical
training in mental health and child welfare, the articulation of “policy
practice” and advocacy as professional skills, the school has also gained
national repute for its military social work program, the first of its kind at
a research university.
Hope
For The Warriors® (Federal Tax ID 20-5182295) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity
as defined in sections 509(A)(1) and 170(B)(1)(A)(VI) of the Internal Revenue
Code. Combined Federal Campaign, CFC
#27800.