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Researchers have long suspected that neighborhoods can be a source of risk or protection for child well-being. A new Rutgers study supports this assumption and finds that when parents feel higher levels of stress or hopelessness about their surroundings, they may have a more difficult time caring for their children. “To get the best outcomes for kids and to elicit the best parenting, families need a safe, stable, stimulating environment, both at home and in the surrounding community,” said Katherine Marcal, an assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Social Work and coauthor of the study published in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect.

Jamey Lister, PhD, MSW is an Associate Professor at Rutgers School of Social Work. He explains the importance of observing National Recovery Month and how social workers and allied professionals can support individuals affected by substance use beyond this month.

Judith McCoyd is an Associate Professor and Associate Director for Doctoral Programs at Rutgers School of Social Work. Dr. McCoyd discusses National Grief Awareness Day, how the social work community can observe it, and ways social workers can support their clients as they navigate grief.