Northwest Arkansas school districts hire social workers to intervene for families

Families who encounter tough times may not know of the resources available to them or how to navigate a complex network of services, a school-based social worker for the Fayetteville School District said.

An example is applying for the state's health insurance program, said Sara Blickenstaff, who has been a social worker in Fayetteville for 15 years.

Families fill out online applications for ARKids First, but the wait is so long some families fill out a second application. This causes the state's system for processing applications to go haywire, she said. Children miss out on mental health services and medication while they wait, she said. She intervenes for families in that situation.

"I feel very lucky to be able to be in this position," Blickenstaff said. "I'm able to help families problem-solve and to figure out how to make things better before they get to a worse situation."

Districts are required by state regulations to hire classroom teachers, music teachers, physical education teachers and counselors, but employing social workers is optional, said Joy Shirley, director of student services for the Fayetteville district.

Their brains are consumed with basic needs if students are hungry or feel unsafe, limiting their ability to progress academically, Shirley said.

"A lot of what they do is removing barriers for students so they can access their education," Shirley said of social workers. "They don't have to worry when they're at school that their needs will be met."

In January and February, the district's three social workers assisted with about 600 requests for information and referral services, Shirley said. They reported 318 incidences of helping to connect students or parents with community resources, 117 home visits and five incidences of crisis intervention. They were involved with juvenile cases 19 times.

Employing social workers

About 30 school districts employ 65 licensed social workers across the state, including Bentonville, Fayetteville, Pea Ridge, Rogers and Siloam Springs in Northwest Arkansas, according to information from the Arkansas Department of Education.

Springdale doesn't employ licensed social workers but has other types of employees, including four community liaisons, and programs for meeting students' needs, said Jared Cleveland, deputy superintendent for personnel.

The Fayetteville School Board is weighing a proposal to increase the salary schedules for social workers. District officials found in a review the pay for social workers in Fayetteville had fallen behind Rogers and Bentonville, Shirley said.

Classroom teachers have many duties beyond what they teach in the classroom, Shirley said. Families feel comfortable going to teachers when a need arises that affects a child at school because of the trust that develops between teachers and families.

Teachers sometimes don't know how best to help that family or how to navigate social services, Shirley said.

"When there is a social worker, it's nice to have someone who understands the system," she said.

This year, roughly 44 percent of the 9,650 students in Fayetteville schools are from low-income families, Shirley said.

Fayetteville has three social workers. Blickenstaff, who has a bachelor's degree in social work, has spent 15 years in the district. The other two have master's degrees and can provide individual counsel: Melissa Rogers and Ginger Thornton. All three are assigned to different schools in the district. Thornton also serves as the district's homeless coordinator.

The district spends $139,315 on their salaries with state money paid to districts to assist low-income children, said Greg Mones, director of human resources. Half of Thornton's salary is paid with money from a federal grant for homeless children.

The social workers impact hundreds of students, Shirley said. This school year, about 230 students are classified as homeless, including families who are unable to maintain housing and are forced to move in with relatives or friends, Shirley said.

In the fall semester, 115 families were referred to the district's food pantry, known as The Outback, for the first time, Shirley said. Once families are referred, they can receive food from The Outback on a monthly basis.

Intervening for students

The Bentonville School District spends $110,000 on two licensed social workers with federal money for low-income children. The rest comes from the district's general budget, said Paul Stolt, spokesman. The social workers focus on supporting students who face challenges that affect their education. Children from low-income families make up about 25 percent of the 16,060 students in Bentonville schools.

The social workers also intervene in crisis situations, including f0r mental health issues, domestic violence, truancy, abuse, grief and homelessness.

"They are an incredible resource when students and families face what can appear to be insurmountable obstacles and often are the most important contact for students who feel they are out of options," Stolt said.

Rogers has the equivalent of 6.2 full-time social worker positions, said Ashley Siwiec, district spokeswoman. Nearly all of $427,054 in salaries are paid with state money the district receives to assist children from low-income families. Children from low-income families comprise 61 percent of the 15,077 students in Rogers schools.

Social workers serve a vital role in the Rogers district. They work closely with administrators and counselors and act as the liaison for the school for families in mental health services, the court system and community resources, said Linda Haley, director of counseling for Rogers School District.

A prime issue for social workers is attendance, Haley said. Social workers can file cases asking courts to intervene when students repeatedly miss school.

"They do home visits to check in with parents and students as needed to keep them engaged and remove barriers to keep them from falling through the cracks," Haley said.

Blickenstaff describes her position as a link between home and school.

Blickenstaff does home visits and works with families to address issues including school attendance and behavior. She also works with parents who have not shown up to schools for parent-teacher conferences or conferences for children receiving special education services.

Intervening and assisting with children's basic needs helps to prevent situations that might require the attention of the state Human Services Department or the court system, she said.

NW News on 04/02/2016