The guilty verdict reached on Tuesday in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin regarding the murder of George Floyd brought relief to many, but people may continue to experience vicarious trauma as pervasive news coverage continues. "You need someone who has insight when it comes to racialized trauma, because that's a whole other element," advises licensed independent clinical social worker Jamil Stamschror-Lott.

People are sometimes inclined to comment on drastic weight changes, and this type of interaction may be more likely as people begin to socialize again, especially since the pandemic may have contributed to weight swings. "We'd all be better off if people had the opportunity to feel safe in their bodies regardless of the changes that occur throughout their lives," says licensed clinical social worker Shira Rosenbluth.

New Orleans teens will speak out on mental health during a town hall meeting on Saturday with Mayor Latoya Cantrell's Youth Advisory Council. Social worker Melissa Smith Haley, who is also president of the National Association of Black Social Workers will be a panelist and will offer advice on mental health at the town hall meeting.

The extra stresses brought on by the pandemic are especially evident in airports, where chaplains are reporting an increase in people in crisis. Additional resources are being brought in, including music therapy, to help deal with their fears, anxieties and other issues.

The House Education and Labor health subcommittee heard several concerns during a hearing last week regarding mental health, including the planned end of temporary flexibility for health savings account holders. "Individuals seeking affordable mental health services are facing significant barriers," said Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif.

Illinois extended Medicaid benefits to mothers for up to 12 months after birth, becoming the first state in the nation to do so. The expansion allows access to behavioral health and mental health services for postpartum depression and will also help individuals who are working to manage obesity and diabetes after childbirth.

Empathy is only growing in importance at work, with managers increasingly working apart from their reports and employees expecting more support from their bosses with work and life matters, write Gartner HR experts Brian Kropp, Alexia Cambon and Sara Clark. They focus on the challenge facing midsize companies, whose managers retain individual workloads and don't have access to large learning budgets that big corporations possess.

Micromanagement is the unfortunate byproduct of remote working and has led to employee frustration with a plethora of unnecessary meetings. Reduce fatigue by scheduling only the remote meetings that have a purpose for those who attend and use project-management tools instead to track progress, advises Ohio University's Nicole Antoinette Smith.

NASW's member magazine, Social Work Advocates, is seeking submissions for its "Backstory" section. Backstory focuses on hobbies social workers have outside of their work. We have profiled avid hikers, jewelry makers, authors, poets, photographers, singers, actors, and more. If you would like to share your unique hobby with other social workers, please email us.

NASW Press is offering a special Graduation Sale with 20% off select books and eBooks! For more information about the Graduation Sale and all NASW Press titles, including books, eBooks, reference works, journals, brochures, and standards, visit the NASW Press website. If you have any questions, please send an email or call 1-800-227-3590.