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Bureau of Labor Statistics

Demand is growing for social services professionals

April 28, 2021 By Kevin Weiss

Human and social services professions may be more vital and valued than ever — because of pressures surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, racial and social unrest, and additional transparency surrounding mental health issues.

For instance, schools, corporations, law enforcement and telehealth factions have begun to put more focus on embedding social workers and other mental health professionals.

In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected employment in social work to increase 11% from 2018-2028, leading to an estimated 81,000 new jobs in the field.

Dr. Eddie Williams, program director for social and human services at Pasco-Hernando State College (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Dr. Eddie Williams has witnessed these shifts up close.

He is program director for social and human services at Pasco-Hernando State College, and also is a licensed mental health counselor in private practice serving Pasco and Hernando counties.

Williams was a featured guest speaker during an April 13 virtual social services event hosted by Saint Leo University’s East Pasco Education Center.

The social services expert shared information about various types of social work careers and practices.

His talk was part of a speaker series for students and prospective students interested in “helping careers.”

The topics for the free online series are designed to have broad appeal to those interested in social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, and human services.

“In this current environment that we’re navigating, it’s possible that there isn’t a more relevant and important subject as what’s being discussed here,” Derek Saunier, director of Saint Leo’s East Pasco Education Center, said during the webinar.

Williams offered his observations about the growing demand for social services.

In his private practice, he sees clients two days a week who are dealing with various issues.

Since last October or so, Williams said his office has noticed “a big spike” in people seeking advice regarding marital and family issues — a dynamic he previously didn’t encounter too often.

“I’m seeing more families than ever,” Williams said. “Usually (my practice) was more individuals, and I rarely saw couples or families, so that’s something that kind of changed for me, and I definitely had to adjust, had to do some more reading and talk with some colleagues who really do that all the time when I was stuck.”

For Williams, the experience has been a lesson in the ever-changing dynamics of social work, and the importance of being able to lean on colleagues or a supervisor for guidance.

“It’s power in numbers, so even if you work in a private practice, always have someone you can talk with, if you’re struggling,” he said.

Be prepared for long hours, continual learning
While encouraging webinar participants to pursue the path of social work and counseling, he also conveyed the importance for those working in those fields to have a passion for helping and interacting with others.

Working in these fields also calls for an ability to be able to have an open dialogue and be respectful — in a role that requires interactions with people of diverse cultural backgrounds.

This kind of work typically has long hours, too, in order to maximize potential and effectiveness, he said.

He personally serves on several advocacy and awareness-driven boards, in addition to teaching and clinical responsibilities.

“I’m always doing something,” Williams said. “If I’m not helping a client, I’m doing something in the community.”

He also offered some guidance on career development and advancement.

He encouraged aspiring mental health clinicians or social workers to join organizations such as  the National Association of Social Workers — Florida chapter, plus other local human service clubs and organizations to provide networking, training and career opportunities, as well as to stay abreast of the latest legislative updates.

“To pretty much get to where I am now, I had to be active, I had to start being active,” said Williams, who also is pursuing a second doctorate in social work.

He also explained the licensing process, which happens through the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling, which is a division of the Florida Department of Health.

In addition to needing a bachelor’s or master degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited college or university, licensure often involves two years and 1,500 hours of supervised clinical experience in the field.

Williams also outlined the different levels of social work — micro, macro and mezzo — highlighting the various available pathways and opportunities.

Micro-level social work involves casework with individuals, such as a city social services caseworker, crime victim advocate, family therapist, school counselor, or substance abuse counselor.

Williams described the roles as more “in-the-trenches” work. “You’re right there, you’re hands-on with the population that you’re serving,” he said.

Macro-level social work involves interventions and advocacy on a large scale, affecting entire communities or states. It pertains to community organizers, lobbyists, professors of social policy, program developers, and researchers.

In essence, he said: “You’re either trying to prevent something, or you’re trying to give services to individuals, you’re trying to involve more people.”

Mezzo-level social work, meanwhile, focuses more on a dedicated or vulnerable group of people, with titles such as parenthood educator, community service manager and group therapist.

To learn more about the East Pasco Education Center Social Service Speaker Series, email Yvonne Montell, senior associate director of admissions, at .

Published April 28, 2021

Saint Leo adding four new degree programs

April 10, 2019 By Brian Fernandes

Saint Leo University will offer four new degree programs, beginning in the fall.

It also will expand its existing Bachelor of Arts in English to include additional courses and a new specialization in creative writing.

The new bachelor’s degrees will include the following majors:

  • Software Engineering
  • Data Science
  • Medical Humanities
  • Theater

“They’re wonderful opportunities for students,” said Dr. Mary Spoto, vice president for academic affairs at the university. “They’re cutting-edge programs, meet employer demands, workforce demands, and they really do prepare students.”

The software engineering program is much needed, based on information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Spoto said.

Inside the Tapia College of Business building, this classroom has been reconfigured for the new software engineering program, which will begin in the fall. (Courtesy of Saint Leo)

Software developer jobs are projected to grow by 24 percent, in the 10-year period between 2016 to 2026, according to bureau statistics.

The Bachelor of Science program will be available both online and on campus, with courses in software architecture, design and development.

It is also the only new program that will offer a master’s degree.

“The graduate program is a 30-credit program and you can complete it in one year, if you’re going full-time,” the vice president added.

Data science also will be a Bachelor of Science program, but will only be offered on campus.

It will delve into mathematics, statistics, computer science and even psychology, among other fields.

The Bachelor of Arts in medical humanities will branch into two divisions: the pre-medical track, and the health and humanities track.

The pre-medical option will offer courses such as biology and chemistry, and will be geared to students who may aspire to go on to medical school.

Health and humanities, however, will help prepare students looking toward social work, psychology or occupational therapy.

The medical humanities programs will be on campus, only.

The Black Box Theatre, on campus, played a role in inspiring the new Bachelor of Arts in Theater.

“Once we had that, we knew we had a good, bona fide performance space for students and would be able to launch a theater major,” Spoto said.

Besides working on campus theater projects, students will take coursework in acting, directing, production and writing.

While not all the new programs will be available online, campus-bound courses will be flexible, as they’re scheduled at various times on weekdays.

Saint Leo also has education centers in Tampa, Spring Hill and other areas for those unable to make a long commute.

The decision to implement these programs was years in the making.

The university went through a program review process, examining whether existing majors were reaching standards to achieve student success.

It also analyzed research data to see what careers were flourishing in industry, and surveyed students to determine what jobs appealed to them.

Employers from various lines of work were also asked for their feedback.

Based on the collected data, these majors were chosen as a good addition to the university.

It was also determined that courses for these majors should be incorporated with ‘power skills’ learning.

Those skills aim to teach students how to better present themselves for the workforce. That includes enhancing their verbal and writing skills, and helping them to become thoughtful problem solvers.

“Those are the skills that employers are telling universities across the country, ‘We really want these and we’re not sure we’re getting them from graduates,’” Spoto said.

She also noted that “students should pursue what is a genuine interest, because they will perform academically the strongest and have confidence in knowing that all of our programs are preparing [them] for what is to come.”

Published April 10, 2019

Florida’s unemployment rate slips, but still mostly flat

October 17, 2014 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Florida’s unemployment rate has slipped a bit in September, bringing it to its lowest point since June 2008, but still remaining mostly flat since last December.

The rate, according to Gov. Rick Scott’s office, was 6.1 percent in September, down from 6.3 percent in August. That was the result of 12,800 new private-sector jobs in the month, but the percentage of unemployed people is still larger than the rest of the nation.

The rate peaked at 11.4 percent in late 2009 and early 2010, while Gov. Charlie Crist was still in office. It was during the same time as a national economic crisis, which Florida was particularly hit hard because of its dependence on homebuilding and tourism — which suffered during the economic downturn.

However, that rate started to drop in April 2010, and was down to 10.9 percent when Scott took office in 2011. The rate would then not drop below 7 percent until September 2013, and has essentially remained flat at around 6.3 percent since last December.

The rate is still significantly higher than what it was in 2006, where the rate hovered around 3.3 percent.

In August, Florida’s unemployment rate was ranked 26th in the nation, tied with Arkansas and Missouri, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. Georgia that month had the worst rate at 8.1 percent, while North Dakota could be statistically labeled as “fully employed” with a 2.8 percent rate.

Of the top five most populous states, with Florida ranked fourth with 19.6 million people, California was ranked 44th nationally in August with a 7.4 percent rate, New York was ranked 29th at 6.4 percent, Texas ranked 16th at 5.3 percent, and Illinois ranked 36th at 6.7 percent.

The governor’s office did point out other positive trends in the economy, including a 33.7 percent backlog reduction in existing homes on the market since December 2011, as well as a 2.9-percent increase in home prices in August compared to the previous year.

In September, Florida’s 24 regional work force boards reported more than 43,800 people were placed in jobs. This number is based on those who seek employment and training assistance through the center and finds a job with 180 days. Of that number, nearly 9,400 of them had been receiving unemployment benefits.

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05/26/2022 – Food distribution

Farm Share, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Sheriff Charities, the Pasco County NAACP, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay will partner for a free food distribution on May 26 starting at 9 a.m., at the Boys & Girls Club of Lacoochee, 38724 Mudcat Grant Blvd., in Dade City. Food will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. The event is a drive-thru, rain or shine. … [Read More...] about 05/26/2022 – Food distribution

05/28/2022 – Memorial Day Concert

The “Let’s Do Good Memorial Day Concert” is scheduled for May 28 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Tunnel to Towers provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children, and builds custom-designed smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. The foundation is committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and aiding the victims of major U.S. disasters. The event will include vendors, gifts, a Forget-Me-Not Garden, and more. Entertainment will be provided by Fred Chandler, Charles Goodwin, Cruz Er Mac, Mike Henderson, and Travis White. Special guests include Congressman Gus Bilirakis and State Sen. Danny Burgess. Rain date is Sept. 10. … [Read More...] about 05/28/2022 – Memorial Day Concert

05/28/2022 – Seafood Festival-CANCELLED

The North Tampa Bay Chamber’s Summer Seafood Festival is scheduled for May 28 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive in Lutz, between the outlets and At Home. There will be seafood, crab races, a kids zone, live bands, craft beer, a local market, a Nautical Art Show, and a crab claw-eating contest. For information, call 727-674-1464. … [Read More...] about 05/28/2022 – Seafood Festival-CANCELLED

06/04/2022 – D-Day reenactment

The Zephyrhills Museum of Military History, 39444 South Ave., in Zephyrhills, will present “D-Day, Invasion of Normandy” on June 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be an opening ceremony at 11 a.m. The event will include skydivers, reenactors, World War II veterans, and WWII vehicles/aircraft on display. Visit zmmh.org/events, for additional information. … [Read More...] about 06/04/2022 – D-Day reenactment

06/11/2022 – Community cleanup

Save the date: A Dade City Community Cleanup is scheduled for June 11 from 8 a.m. to noon. The city will provide two garbage trucks and one roll-off to dispose of household waste. Residents will be able to drop off unwanted items at three locations. Volunteers also are needed and can register online at DadeCityFl.com. More information will be forthcoming. … [Read More...] about 06/11/2022 – Community cleanup

06/13/2022 – Vacation Bible School

The Church at Myrtle Lake, 2017 Riegler Road in Land O’ Lakes, will host the Spark Studios Vacation Bible School from June 13 to June 17 from 9 a.m. to noon. The event is free for children of age who have completed kindergarten through sixth grade. Registration is open online at MyrtleLake.org. For information, call 813-949-5516. … [Read More...] about 06/13/2022 – Vacation Bible School

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