Linda L. Lawrence, MSW, LMSW Michigan State University School of Social Work Coordinator: Veterinary Social Work Services 152 Baker Hall College of Veterinary Medicine 517-432-3734 D199 Veterinary Teaching Hospital 517-432-5967 East Lansing, MI 48824 lawren45@msu.edu Education: Professional Certifications: Professional Experience: Master of Social Work Michigan State University - May of 1998 Bachelor of Arts in Social Work Michigan State University May of 1997 Associate Degree in Commercial Art Illustration Lansing Community College 1995 Licensed Master of Social Work State of Michigan Supportive work with Page Yaxley, DVM, and her new Animal Hospice Program at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine 2006 to Present Veterinary Social Work Services (VSWS) as Founder and Coordinator of the VSWS for the School of Social Work and the College of Veterinary Medicine s Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) at Michigan State University. The duties include, and are not limited to, providing brief grief and loss counseling to Clients of the VTH who are making serious decisions for their pets, crisis intervention, advocating for the clients, providing supportive care for Veterinary Technicians and Veterinarians who experience compassion fatigue and grief during the care of their patients. In addition, for this position, perform the duties of Field Instructor for clinical MSW and BSW students who are placed at the VTH for their field experience (internship). This involves mentoring, training specifically for this agency, organizational
practice, and medical social work, providing training, supervision and evaluation for the students. 2000 to present Clinical Instructor in the Undergraduate Program for the School of Social Work, Michigan State University The duties include providing instruction for three practice sequence courses, two sections of SW 340 and one section of SW 440, a senior class which is also considered the Tier II writing course for the University writing requirement, face-to-face teaching and incorporating the MSU online ANGEL learning system 2000 to 2008 Field Liaison between the School of Social Work at Michigan State University and the Social Service Agencies where the assigned graduate students are completing their Field Education, as required for their Master s in Social Work Degree. This responsibility involves traveling to each assigned agency to discuss educational issues and student performance with their Field Instructors. The Liaison role also includes facilitating ten hours of seminar work each semester with the group of assigned students. 1997 to present Academic Specialist/Advisor for the School of Social Work at Michigan State University Duties include advising Undergraduate students about all aspects of their educational career at MSU. This requires knowledge of all University, College of Social Science, and School of Social Work requirements for graduation, as well as knowledge of extra-curricular activities, student organizations, Study Abroad Programs, resources for student support whether emotional, financial, academic, and/or living requirements. 1998 2001 Mental Health Therapist for Clinton, Eaton, Ingham Community Mental Health (CEI-CMH) Emergency Services. This involved serving clients who presented at the clinic with emergency mental health needs, providing crisis intervention and/or referrals for both voluntary and involuntary face-to-face clients and for clients who contacted ES by phone
Professional emphasis: Undergraduate Academic Advisor until May of 2013 School of Social Work Practice Sequence Clinical Instructor School of Social Work Proposed, Founded and Coordinator of Veterinary Social Work Services (VSWS) Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital providing clinical social work services for clients of the VTH, support groups for clients and staff of the VTH, Educational presentations for Veterinary Students, Medical Technicians, Doctors and Staff Field Instruction for First and Second Year MSW students Professional Presentations about VSWS and the Human Animal Bond to both Social Work Professionals and the Veterinary Medicine Community across the State of Michigan Crisis Intervention Continuing Education credit in the practice areas of Military, Gerontology, DBT, CBT, Depression, Anxiety, Ethics, Pain Management, Organizational Environment, and others. Presentations/Professional Papers: Social Invited Presentation at the International Veterinary Work Services Summit at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville Tennessee, April, 2013 Presentations at the State Veterinary Medical Association Conferences, Baker College Veterinary Technician Program, State of Michigan Humane Society, Informal workshop and discussion of Veterinary Social Work at the BPD Conference in Phoenix, AZ, March, 2009 Four presentations and seminars in partnership with a resident at the VTH that train veterinary students about client care and appropriate discussions of euthanasia and the decision-making processes for treatment.
Presentation, January 28, 2008, for the State of Michigan Veterinary Conference on Animal Hoarding and the Implications for Interdisciplinary Team Work for the treatment and supervision of people affected by this challenge. Teamwork including the Judicial system, animal control, city and county building departments, health departments, and mental health agencies Compassion Fatigue seminars and presentations each semester with students in the Veterinary Technician Program at Baker College. The MSU School of Social Work Alumni Breakfast a presentation for CE credit on January 26, 2007, where the subject was the Human Animal Bond and its implications for Social Work Practice; and again at the Michigan National Association of Social Workers on May 17, 2007 Compassion Fatigue and the Veterinary Medical Profession a presentation to the Annual Conference of the Veterinary Medical Association of Michigan on January 28, 2007 and to the Mid-Michigan Veterinary Association on May 17, 2007 Community Outreach On-going Compassion Fatigue discussion with each Oncology Clinical rotation (every third Wednesday) at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital Three Continuing Education Presentations to train facilitators of Pet Loss Support Groups Provided Facilitation for several compassion fatigue group meetings at the Western Michigan Veterinary Medicine Association, the Mid-Michigan Association and the Eastern Michigan Association Several presentations over the past seven years (2004-2012) too various groups within the School of Social Work and Michigan State University - The Human Animal Bond and the implications for the Social Work Profession. Speaking with various community organizations, most recent is Prime Time of East Lansing, giving information
about the Human Animal bond, the benefits and life improvements for both the animal and the human, information on animal care and the new MSU Animal Hospice Program (second such program associated with a Veterinary Teaching Hospital in the United States! Collaborative Activities: Supportive work with Page Yaxley, DVM, and the new Hospice program for animals at the MSU CVM Research with Page Yaxley, DVM regarding grief and loss and the recognition of the attachment with animals as family members Presentations with Page Yaxley, DVM on Euthanasia and the discussions with clients for support during the decision-making process 1999 to 2007 collaboration with Peg Whelen, Ph.D., MSW, Research Specialist at the MSU School of Social Work to study the Human Animal Bond and its implications for social work practice. Co-Founder of the People and Animals within the Social Environment (PAWSE) initiative, the result of that collaboration grew to include the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine resulting in the organization of Veterinary Social Work Services (VSWS). Served as a coordinator of the investigating team, which visited the University of Tennessee at Knoxville to study their VSWS Program. Authored the proposal for the VSWS program now in existence at the Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) in the College of Veterinary Medicine Professional Membership: National Association of Social Workers (NASW)