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  • McQueary College of Health and Human Services

Archives for November 2021

Missouri State boosts access to social work program

November 29, 2021 by Jonah Rosen

Student using Meyer Library

Social workers are everywhere – working with individuals, families or communities in hospitals, clinics, schools and many organizations. They’re helpers who provide resources and so much more.  

To better meet the needs of these future professionals, Missouri State University now offers the first fully accredited, fully online Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) in the state of Missouri.  

“This decision predates the pandemic and really spurred from discussions with students who were considering transferring from community colleges,” said Natalie Curry, clinical assistant professor of social work and BSW coordinator.  

These students were often working full-time or had other obligations, she said.  

“We would hear some of those students say, ‘If you tell me that the only way I can be a social worker is to do daytime classes on the Springfield campus, I’m not going to be able to do that.’ 

“For us, that really was an access issue. We want to open the door to social work for more students. That’s a no brainer for us.” 

Explore the social work program

At this time, the online option is open to students who reside in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma. 

First online cohort enrolled fall 2021 

In fall 2021, the first online cohort began. They enrolled 30 online students and approximately 40 seated. On average, the seated cohort usually enrolls about 50. 

“We’ve had really great feedback from the students who started the program this fall,” Curry said. “They are really enjoying the online experience.” 

Curry said the social work faculty took great care to make sure the online program was dynamic. The courses have been developed to encourage interaction and relationship building.  

That will be key to success in the social work career, too, noted Curry. 

What’s it like? 

When researching other online programs, Curry found they vary widely.  

The team considered the best options and modeled each of the online courses similarly. 

“They’re high-quality designed classes,” she said. “The classes have a similar design and format, so once the students familiarize themselves with the expectations in one, they’re going to be comfortable.” 

MSU’s online BSW program:   

  • Is asynchronous, so it’s flexible.   
  • Includes a high degree of interaction with students in the cohorts and with the faculty. 
  • Is taught by a mix of experienced, full-time faculty and some per-course instructors. 

“You are still going to get with your faculty and your peers, while still maintaining the asynchronous format to have the most flexibility possible,” Curry said. 

Apply now

What accreditation means to me 

Curry stressed the significance of the accreditation.  

“Accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education ensures that both our seated and online program options adequately prepare graduates for social work practice,” Curry said.  

“Most social work positions and graduate schools require a degree from an accredited program, and many states have a similar requirement for licensure.”  

Now more than ever before, this stands out to incoming students, noted Curry. 

“We want students to know: You are being prepared for the workforce or graduate school,” she said.  

Preparing for graduate school 

For a student that intends to move into clinical social work practice, they will need to receive a Master of Social Work, noted Curry.  

Those who already have a BSW from an accredited program will save time and money getting an MSW.  

That’s because the accredited BSW provides advanced standing status into the MSW program for eligible applicants.  

Advanced standing students are able to complete the MSW program in one year full-time or two years part-time, which is half the time it takes for students without a BSW. 

Explore the School of Social Work

Filed Under: Social Work Tagged With: MCHHS Spotlights, McQueary College of Health and Human Services, School of Social Work

The Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic: A quality place of care

November 29, 2021 by Jonah Rosen

https://www.missouristate.edu/CSD/Clinic/

The ways in which we can communicate shape how we engage with the world. Missouri State University’s Speech-Language-Hearing clinic brings new communication capabilities to those at Missouri State and the surrounding community.

“Our clinic is divided up into three separate programs,” Lauren Jones, director of the clinic, said. “We have a speech-language pathology program, audiological services and a pre-school for children who are deaf or hard of hearing .”

Audiological services

The clinic’s audiological offerings include hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings and other audiological services.

“These services are provided by our doctoral-level audiology students and supervised by licensed and certified audiologists” Jones said.

Students working in the audiology program see patients weekly.

Speech-language pathology services

The clinic also offers a semester of long-term service for those who are needing speech and language therapy.

Graduate students in the speech-language pathology program are assigned clients who they see twice a week for the entire semester.

Preschool program

The preschool program is specifically designed for children ages 3-5 with impaired hearing.

“Our graduate students in the program work with children who may be deaf or hard of hearing,” Jones said. “The program helps children learn to interact with their peers and be more independent.”

The clinic offers free evaluations and consultations. No referrals are necessary.

If you think you may benefit from speech, language or hearing services, contact the clinic at CSDclinic@missouristate.edu or Lauren Jones at LaurenEJones@missouristate.edu.

Learn more about the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic

Filed Under: Communication Sciences and Disorders Tagged With: Communication Sciences and Disorders, McQueary College of Health and Human Services, Speech Language and Hearing Clinic

How to enjoy Thanksgiving meals when you have diabetes

November 17, 2021 by Strategic Communication

If you have diabetes, then Thanksgiving may feel like a race to manage what you eat without spiking your blood sugar. However, there are ways to enjoy the bounty of the holiday without wreaking havoc on your body.

Dr. Daniela Novotny, a registered dietitian and biomedical sciences senior instructor at Missouri State University, shares with U.S. News Health a few things that individuals with diabetes should do to enjoy Thanksgiving meals safely.

Filed Under: Biomedical Sciences, Dietetics

Eating and staying healthy this holiday season

November 16, 2021 by Jonah Rosen

With fall upon us, people have started to get excited for the upcoming holiday season.

But holiday excitement can also cause stress, especially for those on a diet.

RD Natalie Allen, clinical assistant professor of biomedical sciences at Missouri State University, offers some tips to eat and stay healthy this Thanksgiving season.

Eat what you want

People often believe they need to be careful about which foods they eat during the holidays.

Allen suggests that is not always the case.

“You do not need to be mindful about what you eat during the holidays,” said Allen. “Eat what you want, whether it’s pumpkin pie or sweet potato casserole.”

Holidays are celebrations. It’s normal to splurge and eat foods that may not be as healthy during the holidays. But practice moderation.

Stay active

Time becomes even more valuable during the holiday season.

Most people are busy shopping, working, or attending events. Yet, it is important to take time to stay during the busy period, Allen shares.

Simply taking an hour walk around your neighborhood is enough activity to keep you healthy.

“By staying active, people will feel better and in turn be able to maintain a healthy weight, even during the busy time,” Allen said.

Eat breakfast

While it may seem like a good idea to skip breakfast until your big meal, it’s not as efficient as you think.

“The number one thing about eating healthy the day of a holiday is to eat a small breakfast and lunch,” Allen said.

This will help you not only to stay in your normal eating pattern, but also prevent you from eating too much during your main holiday meal.

Plan ahead

Allen recommends planning your holiday and post-holiday meals in the week leading up to Thanksgiving.

“If you plan healthy meals ahead of time, you will not feel as stressed,” Allen said.

Having these plans in place will give you the chance to enjoy the holidays and then get back to normal after the celebrations.

Allen suggests one way to meal plan is to use online ordering while shopping for groceries. It helps you plan meals for the week and keep track of items you are putting in your basket while you shop.

She also recommends only planning four meals a week. It will help make the task easier and less daunting.

Explore the dietetics program

Filed Under: Dietetics

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