Future Leaders
Two Members of the Class of 2007 Receive the Mary Montague Award
Announcement from the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work (PSCSW)
Every year, the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work (PSCSW) recognizes students who have written papers which exemplify the highest standards of clinical work and scholarship. The awards program is currently open to students at Bryn Mawr College, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, and Widener University. The University of Pennsylvania winners from the Class of 2007 were honored of the PSCSW Annual Meeting/Dinner at Yang Ming restaurant in Bryn Mawr on Friday, November 2, 2007.
Tara Jean Sununu
Tara’s paper, “Case Study: Client MK and the Loss of Functioning in Serious Mental Illness,” reflects her experience at an outpatient psychiatric clinical at a large, urban, teaching hospital. Tara’s work with a young woman, with severe mental illness and grieving the loss of her former high level of functioning, integrated cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic theories and treatment approaches.
Michael Papano (Honorable Mention)
Michael interned at an outpatient psychiatry department at a community hospital. His paper, “Integrating Theory and Practice: Application of Ego Psychology Theory, A Case Study,” demonstrated his understanding and application of ego psychological interventions and concepts in working with a woman with severe mental illness and a trauma history.
More about the Mary Montague Award:
The award is named for Mary Montague, L.S.W., B.C.D., one of Pennsylvania’s founders of the clinical social work movement. In 1970, representatives from six states that had established clinical societies within their states met to share common concerns and achievements. The result of that meeting was the formation of the National Federation of Societies for Clinical Social Work. Montague was active in providing leadership and eventually her efforts concentrated on developing the first directory of qualified clinical social workers. Chairperson Montague brought the National Registry of Health Care Providers in Clinical Social Work into existence and served as its first president. The Pennsylvania Society supported Montague and the Registry by volunteering its efforts to publicize the Registry and to process applications. In 1985, the NRHCPCSW began to explore the feasibility of working with NASW to establish a single advanced credential in clinical social work, and in 1987 the two boards agreed to establish the American Board of Examiners and issue the Board Certified Diplomate (B.C.D.).
At the same time that Mary Montague was providing leadership at the national level to establish a credential representing high standards of practice, she served at the state level as a leader in bringing about in 1987 the passage of the Social Workers’ Practice Act 39. Undaunted by a dozen years’ effort to achieve licensure, Montague continues to work toward vendorship with the state Coalition and as the PSCSW’s Chairperson of the Vendorship Committee.