Review of \u3cem\u3eBlack Male Violence In Perspective: Toward Afrocentric Intervention\u3c/em\u3e. P. Tony Jackson. Reviewed by Husain Lateef.

P. Tony Jackson, Black Male Violence In Perspective: Toward Afrocentric Intervention. Lexington Books (2015), 171 pages, $80.00 (hardcover)

“Children Can’t Learn on an Empty Stomach”: The Black Panther Party’s Free Breakfast Program

The year 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party and their revolutionary approach to urban Black suffering in America. However, like many other social welfare contributions of the Black American community, the Black Panther Party’s social programs remain largely unexamined within the social work literature. To reclaim the social welfare contribution of the Black Panther Party, this paper examines the Free Breakfast for Schoolchildren Program and discusses its relevance to contemporary social work. Key aspects of the Free Breakfast Program are reviewed, including the historical context of the formation of the Black Panther Party and the breakfast program’s mission and funding, as well as reactions to the program. In conclusion, implications are presented for how social work can best support contemporary movements for Black community empowerment and social justice

Afrocentricity Theory Revisited: An Alternative Framework for Assisting Black Youth

The current paper explores Afrocentricity theory as an alternative non-western framework to guide social work practice with Black American youth. Very little research has been conducted in recent years concerning Afrocentricity, one of few non-western African theoretical frameworks employed by social work practitioners. This paper provides clarity on what is the theory of Afrocentricity, by providing an overview of the theory’s historical foundations and assumptions. This paper concludes with an application example of the use of Afrocentricity theory within a prevention program for Black youth

Intersectional Social Work Perspectives on the Systemic Killing of Black Men

Three doctoral students in social work with differing positionalities came together to condemn the systemic killing of Black men. This condemnation is codified through reflexive narratives of their experiences. These authors align their narratives with the National Association of Social Workers code of ethics (2008) and with an intersectional perspective. These social workers reflect on how they became conscious of the systemic killing of Black men and call for social workers and the social work profession to work towards a more robust set of protections for Black lives

Barriers to School-Based Mental Health Resource Utilization Among Black Adolescent Males.

Black adolescent males use available mental health services at a disproportionately lower rate compared to males of other racial groups. This study examines barriers to school-based mental health resource (SBMHR) use among Black adolescent males, as a means of addressing reduced usage of available mental health resources and to improve these resources to better support their mental health needs. Secondary data for 165 Black adolescent males were used from a mental health needs assessment of two high schools in southeast Michigan. Logistic regression was employed to examine the predictive power of psychosocial (self-reliance, stigma, trust, and negative previous experience) and access barriers (no transportation, lack of time, lack of insurance, and parental restrictions) on SBMHR use, as well as the relationship between depression and SBMHR use. No access barriers were found to be significantly associated with SBMHR use. However, self-reliance and stigma were statistically significant predictors of SBMHR use. Participants who identified self-reliance in addressing their mental health symptoms were 77% less likely to use available mental health resources in their school. However, participants who reported stigma as a barrier to using SBMHR were nearly four times more likely to use available mental health resources; this suggests potential protective factors in schools that can be built into mental health resources to support Black adolescent males use of SBMHRs. This study serves as an early step in exploring how SBMHRs can better serve the needs of Black adolescent males. It also speaks to potential protective factors that schools provide for Black adolescent males who have stigmatized views of mental health and mental health services. Future studies would benefit from a nationally representative sample allowing for more generalizable results regarding barriers and facilitators to Black adolescent males use of school-based mental health resources

The Mental Health of Black Youth Affected by Community Violence: Family and School Context as Pathways to Resilience

Black youth who experience community violence occupy multiple environments with varying levels of influence on how they display resiliency to prevent adverse mental health outcomes. Considering the recent rise of mental health concerns (i.e., increase in suicidal outcomes) among Black youth, along with the abundance of research illustrating the detrimental impact of community violence, more research is needed to examine how different environmental factors (e.g., family and school) shape how youth protect their mental health while displaying resiliency navigating community violence. The purpose of this study was to examine how family and school contexts predict Black youths’ ability to display resiliency to navigate community violence and prevent adverse mental health outcomes. This study utilized a path analysis to examine the associations between parent relationships, parent bonding, school climate, resilience to adverse community experiences, community violence, and mental health among 548 Black adolescents in Chicago. Findings highlight that parent relationships, parent bonding, and school climate influence the association between resilience to community violence and mental health outcomes among Black youth. Implications for mental health practice and policy among Black youth are discussed

Perspectives on Social Work Volume 12 (Spring 2016)

This is the full-text volume of Perspectives on Social Work, vol. 12 (Spring 2016)

PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL WORK VOLUME 11 (FALL 2015)

This is the full-text volume of Perspectives on Social Work, vol. 11 (Fall 2015)