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Miami-Dade County Association of School Social Workers
M-DCASSW
We aspire to advocate for and empower school social work
professionals with the ability to service and support
all students and families in reaching their potential.
Important Information and/or Upcoming Events
M-DCASSW promotes events and activities that support the profession and our communities.
Meet Our Board Members:
Daniel R. Oré
President
Amber Rinehart
Vice-President
Oyinlola Oyegunle
Treasurer
Takia Bullock
Recording Secretary
Luly Puentes
Corresponding Secretary
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Who We Are
Our school social workers and members work in the fourth largest school district in the U.S., Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS). All M-DCPS school social workers possess a Masters in Social Work or higher degree, approximately one third are also licensed clinical social workers and all are certified in Social Work PK-12 by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE).
The majority of M-DCPS school social workers service our PK-12 schools and are assigned multiple schools where they assist students in either regular or Exceptional Student Education (ESE) placements. The remainder of our professionals work in specialized settings which include: Health Connect in Our Schools Health Teams (HCiOS), Pre-K Diagnostic Teams, Special Education Centers, Alternative Education Centers, Early Childhood Programs, programs for students with Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities (E/BD) or other specialized programs.
What We Do
The current leadership board of M-DCASSW has outlined a strategic plan for implementation during its 2022-2024 term. The plan includes target goals as well as matching implementation strategies and outcomes.
Our focus will be on: promotion of membership and participation in identified initiatives, improving the quality and delivery of school social work service in schools, fostering collaborative decision-making related to the profession, professional training, and collective social service.
How We Work
The passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 2001 (ESEA – also known as the No Child Left Behind Act), the revision of The Individual with Disabilities Act (2004) IDEA and the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Programs (OSEP) requires that the identification of struggling students include a multi-step process that closely monitors how ALL students are responding to different types of services and instruction.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has adopted Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) as a school-wide framework that serves as an integral part of the pre (and post) referral process to determine which students may have learning or behavioral difficulties. It is in this context that school social workers assist schools by screening the academic, social, emotional, mental health and behavioral needs of ALL students and by applying research-based prevention, instruction, interventions, and continual monitoring of progress.
What We Believe
Our member school social workers believe that we play a critical role in schools and educational settings. We work within school systems provide services to students to enhance their emotional well-being and improve their academic performance.
We are always ready when called on to help students, families, and teachers address problems such as
social withdrawal, overaggressive behaviors, rebelliousness, truancy and the effects of special physical, emotional, or economic problems, substance abuse, sexuality issues, etc (Barker, 2003).
Although school social workers may be assigned more than one school, experience high caseloads, experience limited resources to support service delivery (lack of confidential and private space, supplies), we stand firm in our belief that through advocacy we can change and improve upon the status quo. Together we can help our school district and others understand the value of social work and the potential for us to make a greater contribution the lives of the students in our schools.