10th Year for SOAR November 28, 2018 | PRA Work | Kristin Lupfer As we kick off the 10th year of the SAMHSA SOAR TA Center, I am reminded and encouraged of the incredible impact the SOAR initiative has on individual lives and communities. I get goosebumps when I hear about the ways that SOAR spreads like a good pollinator. Through a wonderful partnership with the Grand Challenges… Read More
Have You Ever Heard of Elmer Ellsworth? November 15, 2018 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Trevor English The history of the United States is directly linked to the history of the Capital District. Not only is Albany the oldest active city charter still in operation today,[1] innovations such as the telegraph, the electric motor, the steamboat, and the railroad were first established here.[2] Many of us were taught in grade school of… Read More
Writing for Wellness: Quitting Smoking November 7, 2018 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Lisa Guerin How many times have you heard me say I was going to quit smoking? I know a lot of you have, and honestly, I tried so many times; really, so many times. I am happy and proud to announce that I think I really did it this time! June 1 of this year was the… Read More
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month October 25, 2018 | PRA Work | Jen Elder Organized by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), each October National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and provides education about the value of a workforce inclusive of their skills and talents. DOL has a number of helpful resources to organize your own disability employment awareness event. We also… Read More
Writing for Wellness: Occupational and Physical Wellness October 3, 2018 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Crystal Brandow Since 1949, May has been a national observance month for mental health. During Mental Health Month, awareness is raised about the impact of mental health conditions on individuals, families, and communities. Recognizing the importance of this observance, WellStaff@PRA, Policy Research Associates’ staff wellness committee, organized its first annual Mental Health Awareness Step Challenge in 2017.… Read More
ARDRAW Cohort 2 September 14, 2018 | Margaret Lassiter The Social Security Administration’s Analyzing Relationships between Disability, Rehabilitation and Work (ARDRAW) Small Grant Program has recently funded its second cohort of student researchers. ARDRAW is a one-year $10,000 stipend program awarded to graduate-level students to conduct supervised independent research designed to foster new analysis of work, rehabilitation, and disability issues, which may develop innovative… Read More
Writing for Wellness: Environmental Wellness September 5, 2018 | Holley Davis I am a beach child at heart. I grew up on the shores of Long Island and spent most of my summers making kelp bracelets, searching the sand for pieces of sea glass, and pretending that I was a dolphin, diving in and out of the waves. For me, a good beach is a full… Read More
Invite Us to Your Inbox August 24, 2018 | PRA Work | Holley Davis Looking for new ways to connect with PRA and its projects? Have you checked out our email lists? National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice (NCMHJJ) The NCMHJJ promote systems change and improved outcomes for youth with mental behavioral health, substance use, or co-occurring disorders in contact with the juvenile justice system. Its monthly… Read More
Grief and Healing August 9, 2018 | LaVerne Miller This time of year brings me back to some of the most meaningful milestones in my professional career. The last Wednesday and Friday of each July inevitably brings me back to sitting for the New York State Bar Examination. It also brings me back to the intense pride that I felt graduating from law school… Read More
Writing for Wellness: Intellectual Wellness August 1, 2018 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Olivia Meunier Before I found my career path in behavioral health and social services, my life’s ambition was to live what my academic friends sometimes call “a life of the mind.” When I was in college, I found this turn of phrase (this preemptive epitaph) evocative and profound. As if I could somehow transcend the mundane, mindless… Read More
Making a Video for the SOAR State Team Lead Leadership Academy July 20, 2018 | PRA Culture, PRA Work | Rocco Farano Being new to PRA and its many projects (and being on the communications team, which requires me to work and gain familiarity with every project), I have spent the last 2 months in a flurry of memorizing acronyms, hunting down folder locations, and managing an inbox filled with large chain emails from across our network.… Read More
Seven Socially Conscious Films to Watch this Summer July 13, 2018 | PRA Work | Pam Heine, Suzy Sodergren In June, the SOAR TA Center’s Pam Heine and Suzy Sodergren attended the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Conference in Washington, DC for their professional development. Among the highlights was a Film Festival that featured award-winning socially conscious films. NASW expressed that, “Film is a valuable resource to promote civic awareness, global engagement, discussions,… Read More
