This is why asking people with chronic pain issues what their pain scale number is doesn't work.
When I did my shoulder injury, there was a definite POP sound, & the pain was about a 2/10.
I ignored it for about 4 months before going to the doctor, bc while it was still sore & I couldn't' move it quite properly, I knew that my doctor would tell me it was probably a sprain or a strain & that they could take some months to heal.
My doctor said exactly that, & when I pointed out that it had already been 4 months, sent me for an XRay and ultrasound, decided it was bursitis & sent me for a cortisone injection. The pain was maybe a 4/10 on the worst days at this stage. My range of motion was impaired, & the pain being constant day after day was wearing on me, as was only sleeping a couple of hours at a time... but hey, I have a chronic pain condition. I can just suck it up.
6 months after the cortisone injection I go back to the doctor bc of the pain, it had gotten slightly better for a while, but now it was about a 6/10 & by this point had been going for nearly a year. He explained that cortisone often needs a second course, & that 6 months is about normal for it to 'wear off', so we'll do another cortisone treatment, & this time refer me to physio as well (to start a few weeks after the cortisone so that the swelling etc was settled).
The cortisone dropped the pain back to maybe a 2/10 most days, but I was still not sleeping properly and my range of motion was getting worse.. or maybe I'm just getting more tired of being in pain all the time? I don't know. At this point I started wondering if maybe this is just what 'old' is for me, & maybe I was being a sook & didn't have such a high pain tolerance after all.. especially if the pain is like a 2/10 & I'm getting this upset about it.
It never occurred to me that I was getting so upset about it bc my pain was NOT only a 2/10.
After another 3 months of physio not really doing anything, I went back to the doctor & asked for an MRI.
The MRI shows:
the shoulder had dislocated
one high-grade tendon tear with a significant retraction of the tendon
3 other tendon tears
muscle volume loss
bursitis
mild arthritis with degenerative changes and joint effusion and thickening
a SLAP tear with fraying in two places
two lesions where the bones smacked against each other in two different spots during the dislocation
a muscle and a tendon sprain
2 other effusions
another thickened and frayed ligament
All of this should be able to be dealt with via physio rehab, except the SLAP tear, which will need a surgical review & will (best case) be able to be dealt with via an arthroscopy.. but might need a more serious & invasive surgery.
That's 18 months of pain, sleep loss, & inability to function to my normal level because the experiences of someone with a chronic pain disorder can't be summed up with "between 1 and 10 how painful is it?"
Someone with chronic pain doesn't necessarily clock that the pain is getting worse because we're used to having "good days and bad days".
There needs to be research put into developing better tools and a more helpful vocabulary with regards to pain, tools that specifically encompass the experiences of people who have chronic pain.
Another resource is @DisabledInSTEM's Accessibility Review Form. This disability resource is for students (although I would love a version for staff/faculty...).
It's relatively new but a great place to check for academic ableism, success stories, and students can (& should) add to it.
Here's alt-text for the image:
Great resource for disabled students: Disabled in STEM's Accessibility Review Form https://disabledinstem.wordpress.com/
See what other students have asked for in terms of accommodations. View responses in a spreadsheet. -Submit your own experiences anonymously.
Graphic by the .ADHD Acad.
Do not reuse without permission.
I'm dropping off an iron at someone's house today, because they posted that they need an iron, and for some reason I have two of them.
They just messaged to say they're feeling a little sick and have a slight fever, so if I still want to drop it off could I just leave it at their front door, but it's also ok if I don't want to do that.
This is exactly how it should be done. They give me information about whether they are sick, and I get to make an informed decision that manages my risk.
"When people think about #disability or #chronicillness, they tend to do so in a very black and white sort of way: Either you are completely #disabled, or you are not — this is your permanent status, and your disability (or lack thereof) will affect you the same way today as it will tomorrow.
Federally Sanctioned Exploitation Of Workers with Disabilities – Happy Labor Day:
On this Labor Day, Out Of Exile – Invisible Disability Rights gives thanks and honor to workers and the unions that protect them. Without unions, the experience of many workers may be similar to that of the disabled. This piece will focus on the exploitation and abuse of disabled workers by employers , and how it's perfectly legal under federal and state laws in the US. Section 14(c) of the US Department of Labor's "Fair Standards And Labor Act" (FSLA), has been virtually unchanged since it was enacted in 1938. Under the almost century old regulation, employers can apply for a certificate which allows them to pay workers with disabilities, an unspecified subminimum wage.
The average sub wage and the number of disabled people seemingly exploited by this legislation, seems to vary among the sources linked below. By any account, even one person with disabilities being preyed upon in this way, is far too many. The wages are inhumane. A 2021 Forbes article claims over 320,000 people with disabilities, the majority with invisible disabilities, earn an average of $3.34 an hour. A previous Forbes article put the figures in excess of 420,000 people being paid as little as $2.15, while others cite drastically lower wages. Some organizations like Goodwill, form their own "sheltered workshops", determining their own limits on sub wages for their disabled workers. There seems to be no bottom limit on how little individuals with invisible disabilities can be paid.
"The non-profits use “time studies” to calculate the salaries of Section 14 (c) workers. With a stopwatch, staff members time how long it takes a disabled worker to complete a task. That time is compared with how long it would take a person without a disability to do the same task. The non-profit then applies a formula to calculate a rate of pay, which may be equal to or less than minimum wage".
A decade ago, NBC reported that Goodwill industries, presumably by authority of their DOL "Section 14(c) certificate", paid disabled workers twenty-two cents an hour. The report claims that some were paid as little as three or four cents an hour. Think about paying your bills 10 years ago on a wage like this. Some nonprofits, even place Section 14(c) workers in outside, for-profit endeavors in restaurants, stores and even, "IRS centers". That sounds more like calculated exploitation, rather than accommodation and equality. Though the "NBC-Goodwill" article and figures are old, the problem is older and still continues today.
The theory of sheltered workshops is to prepare individuals with disabilities to transition to outside employment. In Missouri, disabled workers packaging T-shirts or sorting and counting dog treats to be sold for profit on Amazon, rarely "graduate" these workshops into regular paying jobs. Pay for sorting the $15 Amazon dog treats? $1.50 an hour while Jeff Bezos builds rocket ships. The title of the recent ProPublica article linked below, says it all. "Missouri Allows Some Disabled Workers to Earn Less Than One Dollar and Hour. The State Says It's Fine If That Never Changes". I say, show me change in the Show-Me state and across the country.
In a follow-up to that story by ProPublica, some participants of sheltered workshops said they approved, saying the alternative is to sit at home and do nothing. Are these opinion formed as a result of gas lighting or years of oppression accepted as "just the way it is"? It's time for new attitudes and alternatives for the disabled community when it comes to wages and employment. In some states, now there are.
About 16 states have changed or passed laws regarding disability subminimum wage exploitation but, nothing to speak of federally. A three year old press release from the National Council on Disability that "Applauded the US commission on civil rights call to repeal section 14(c)", seems to be the sum of that effort. Other states have actions in progress including: Connecticut, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York. If you live in any of these states, now's the time for activism and to let your representatives know how you feel. Follow the ""legislation watch" APSE link to track progress. The Alternative? Similar actions introduced in Kentucky and West Virginia died in committee allowing this despicable injustice against disabled people in those states to continue. Change is up to everyone. What will you do to help stop the exploitation and abuse?
#BookReview Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro
Tr. Frances Riddle
read as e-book, using a mix of electronic Braille and TTS
Charco Press
Pub. 2021
I heard about this book when it was longlisted for the Barbellion Prize which promotes literature that concerns issues around illness/disability. The author is known as a crime writer but I knew going in not to categorise it.
We follow Elena, who’s in her 60s and has Parkinson’s, as she goes through her day. We learn that her daughter, Rita, has died and she’s determined to prove that it was murder, not suicide as the police believe.
Elena’s day is not straightforward as even though she has a very fixed idea she must get to Isabel for help (a woman she met briefly 20 years ago) her #disability reduces her mobility and everything takes so much longer. Her movements are tied to her medication so she has to carefully pace herself in order to get to the train station, conserving enough to control her body to get through the journey before needing to take another pill. It’s a juggling act she’s learnt over recent years and now thatRita has died she’s all alone in the world.
Piñeiro has structured the book around Elena’s doses of medication which is a brilliant way to weave in the idea of ‘crip time’, something that many disabled people recognise in their lives. This is powerfully explored, showing the frustrations Elena has about not being able to hold her hed up straight and the difficulty she has in walking.
“even though she knows that her time isn’t measured with clocks she looks at her watch; it’s more than an hour until her next pill…her time that isn’t time measured with clocks has begun to run out like sand slipping between her fingers, like water, and, elena knows, she won’t be able to get up off that couch until after she takes her next pill”
Themes of motherhood, identity, religion and who controls a woman’s body are also all woven into this emotional and affecting novel. #bookstodon#WITMonth@bookstodon
Disability doula. Peer support. Social support. Physical support. Cultural roots.
#MadLiterature
Newly disabled people aren’t given a ‘how-to’ guide. Disability doulas are closing those gaps.
The community care practice, pioneered by queer women of color, reorients newly disabled people to a different life
The 20+ year journey for me has been two-fold; discovering both my limits, and my capabilities notwithstanding disability. And you’re right, no one hands you a manual to go with your diagnosis. #isolation
PHILADELPHIA’S MÜTTER MUSEUM IS REVIEWING ITS COLLECTION OF HUMAN REMAINS. HERE’S WHY THAT MATTERS FOR DISABILITY REPRESENTATION by Riva Lehrer (Art in America, 2023).
"The Mütter joins medical and natural history museums around the world who are debating the ethical treatment of human remains. There is the question of provenance: at the Mütter, some specimens may have been accepted into the collection under dubious or outright unethical circumstances. Mütter curator Anna Dhoty has written about one unclear holding. Other provenance issues have recently been resolved after decades of negotiation. And in some instances, there is virtually no paper trail at all.
All this gets at a deeper, more troubling question: can it ever be ethical to own, or exhibit, someone else’s body? And if so, how should those bodies be displayed?"
I agree with your point of view, it is a question of context and a general rule cannot be established. It depends, among other factors, on the provenance and function of the human remains in the museum: whether they are only in the museum as a result of colonial brutality, whether they can provide significant knowledge, or whether they are only on display to sell tickets.
In Spain we have a very interesting case: that of the Guanche mummies.
@sarahmatthews@disability I teach braille to adults but I'm not a TVI, per se. I bet our agency would love to have one of these sets. Is this available from just the UK, or can I order, living in the US?
Disability ID and Disability Deaths – How Police Killed Elijah McClain (1of2)
CONTENT WARNING (CW): The details and linked videos of this event may be disturbing to some. Image-eye contact.
Even with the positives disability designator IDs might bring, it's unlikely a card will prevent authorities from abusing and killing people with invisible disabilities. Aside from a change in attitudes, there are still far too many, long-overdue reforms needed. Many instances of police induced death involving the disabled, including people with autism, brain injury, and hearing impairments, were blamed on the victim. Most were, in fact, a direct result of: Ablest attitudes (ignorance), use of excessive force, and unacceptable treatment attributed to inadequate training. Utilizing invisible disabilities to scapegoat victims and bury the case, is another tactic often employed but, "inadequate training", is not what has killed so many people with disabilities.
Mentioned in part three of this piece, the history of one particular force, is a prime demonstration of a "pattern and practice", that has destroyed lives and families of people with invisible disabilities. According to other investigations, Aurora Colorado's pattern of policing, has raised concerns of implicit bias towards the disabled, POC and other marginalized people. Perhaps, one of the most famous examples from that city, is the death of a 23-year-old black man with autism and anemia, Elijah McClain. That case, sparked outrage from both the disabled and black communities, and with the first of three homicide trials set to begin in August, now is not the time to forget what happened to Elijah. The demeaning and despicable treatment he was subjected to, is not uncommon in "policing" of the disabled.
August 24, 2019: Elijah McClain, a massage therapist, violinist and "gentle soul", was walking home from a convenience store not, far from his home. Because of his anemia, which often made him feel cold, he was known to wear a ski mask. On his way home, someone in a house he passed called police to report an unarmed, "sketchy" individual. Minutes Later, Aurora PD's Nathan Woodyard saw Elijah walking to his home and stopped. Within 9 sec. of exiting his car, Woodyard had his hands on Elijah McClain. Just seconds later, officers Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt showed up, also engaging with Elisha. As he explained he was an "introvert" and was "just walking home", one of the officers responded, "Relax, or I'm going to have to change this situation".
The officers had McClain against the wall before taking the five feet seven, 143 lb man to the ground. One of their body cameras was detached and landed in the grass, capturing an officer slowly walking out of view. With Elijah and police no longer being filmed clearly, one officer can be heard claiming, "he just grabbed your gun dude". Within four seconds of the allegation, Elijah can be heard choking as a result of police applying the carotid restraint, restricting his airflow. FOUR SECONDS?! One of the officers later told investigators that McClain "briefly" fell unconscious and the officers released their grasp on his neck. The chokehold was implemented only one min. and four sec. after the first officer exited his vehicle. The three officers involved, Woodyard, Rosenblatt and Roedema, all claimed their body cameras "fell off " in the "struggle" with this small statured young man.
The video footage is very difficult to listen to. Elijah McClain can be heard gasping as he pleads with officers to stop, saying, "I can't breathe". Elijah continues to plead, saying his name and that he was "just going home". Through his sobs, came the words myself and many others with invisible disabilities, will never forget. "I'm just different. I'm just different, that's all". It's hard to hear the police on the audio of one body cam but, Elijah's words are clear… "I'm so sorry. I have no gun. I don't do that stuff. I don't do any fighting. Why are you attacking me?". As officers ignore his pleas, they seem to spin tales of their "struggle" with a 143 pound person. One repeated the accusation that McClain tried to grab officer Roedema's gun, and that they "had" to use the carotid hold.
About six minutes after the initial contact by police, Elijah McClain can be heard vomiting for the first time. One of the officers commands him to "STOP" to which McClain apologized saying, "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to do that. I just can't breathe correctly". In the next few minutes, McClain gets sick "a few more times" while officers held him facedown on the ground, telling him repeatedly to stop resisting. Reports say he was also handcuffed and still wearing the ski mask when he was sick, and as a result, was struggling to breathe. He may have been trying to roll on his side or remove the mask to breathe better, as police seemed to be acting out a show of "resisting arrest" for the body cam audio.
Police can be heard threatening him, "Don't get up. It's not gonna be good for you, I'm telling you right now". Another officer standing over him said "You keep messin' around, I'm unna bring my dog out here", saying he would let the dog attack Elijah. Approximately 11 minutes after the initial contact by officer Woodyard, the cameras capture police saying, "When the ambulance gets here, were gonna go ahead and give him some ketamine". This is also when they claimed "whatever he's on, he has incredible strength." Another concurs "yeah, crazy strength". It's alarming that police and individuals of such character, have authority to mandate the administering of this powerful sedative.
The timing of the accusation that Elijah McClain attempted to grab the firearm, only seconds after body cams were removed, is highly suspect. Again, McClain was 143 lbs, being held by three much larger men. While one of the officer's body cam was still attached, another can be heard telling him to "move" his camera. I don't believe the body cams dislodged, and firmly believe these accused murderers doffed them. The Maclean's attorney said police intentionally removed their body cameras "to support a false allegation that McClain reached for a gun". Though it is not clear on the video, there is absolutely, no doubt in my mind. The same is true, regarding their claims for body cam audio that Elijah was "struggling". If he was struggling, it was likely for air and survival.
The report from paramedics, Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec claimed that when they arrived, Elijah was displaying signs of "excited delirium". The snap "diagnosis" was made, despite never touching, talking to, or checking Maclean's vitals. Were these paramedics scapegoating in an effort to protect their fellow first responders? After incorrectly estimating his weight, the paramedics administered 500 mg of ketamine to McClain, a dosage for someone nearly 60 to 70 pounds larger. For those who believe in forcibly drugging people, the proper ketamine dosage for Elijah's weight, is about 325 mg. Approximately 23 minutes after Nathan Woodyard stopped "to talk" to McClain, the officers responsible were informed, Elijah, had no pulse. Less than a week later, he was declared brain-dead on August 27, 2019, and died, three days later on the 30th.
According to cpr.org–CPR news: "After McClain’s death, Dr. Stephen Cina, a contractor forensic pathologist for Adams County, completed the autopsy on Sept. 3, 2019. There were two Aurora police officers and two representatives from the Adams County District Attorney’s office in attendance". I'd be interested to hear that conversation, considering the findings of the autopsy. The Adams County corner ruled the cause of death as "undetermined" saying that, "a therapeutic amount" of ketamine was found in Maclean's system. The report, reeking of scapegoating, speculated about drug use and undiagnosed mental illness, while seeming to conclude nothing but suppositional "ifs".
Excerpt from Dr. Cina's report: "The manner of death may be accident if it was an idiosyncratic drug reaction,” . “It may be natural if (McClain) had an undiagnosed mental illness that led to excited delirium, if his intense physical exertion combined with a narrow coronary artery led to an arrhythmia, if he had an asthma attack, or if he aspirated vomit while restrained."... "It may be a homicide if the actions of officers led to his death (eg. carotid control hold…)”.
That's a lot of "Ifs". I can't help but wonder "IF", the presence of officers and DA personnel "may" have influence the doctors findings. In conjunction with the corners "undetermined" autopsy determination, Adams County DA Dave Young said, he would not bring charges against the officers. This seeming manipulation of justice, by those who controlled it, was met with outrage.
Another slap in the face, illuminating the culture of APD, occurred in October 2019, less than two months after Elijah's death. Several other officers returned to the scene, taking pictures while they joyfully reenacted the cardioid hold, used on McClain. In July, 2020, after the photos were made public, three officers were fired and one resigned. It's remarkable that they were fired for mocking and taking pictures, while the officers that killed Elijah were still patrolling the streets. The shouts of "Justice for Elijah", became louder as it seemed this heinous police action was being ignored. Once again, protesters took to the streets.
Protests, investigation, Arrests and Trials. Conclusion – "Justice for Elijah" below.
Justice for Elijah McClain – Trial Update for Friday Sept 29th:
⚠️ CW: Police Violence against People with Invisible Disabilities.
On Friday, a "Force and Control Tactics Instructor" from the "Federal Law Enforcement Training Center" was called by the prosecution. Dr. Marc Brown, is also a specialist in "de-escalation, constitutional policing, diversity and community trust building" for Polis Solutions, https://www.polis-solutions.net/ and was previously an police officer for 14 years.
Prosecuting attorney, Jonathan Bunge, showed segments of the body cam footage from August 24, 2019, the night the world suffered the loss of Elijah McClain. Bunge asked the expert witness to give his opinion on the officer's actions in the video. The questioning was focused on whether the officers on trial followed Aurora PD training, which was the subject of Sgt. Kevin Smith's testimony Thursday.
During cross-examination, the attorneys of the officers on trial for the murder, once again, focused on shifting blame to the paramedics administering the ketamine. He argued that it was the paramedics and not the officers, who did not properly care for Elijah McClain. Considering the whole account, none of them cared for him the way they should have, as professionals, or as human beings. That's just my legally insignificant opinion.
Dr. Brown testified that the officers did not adhere to the trainings they were given saying, they "should have listened" to Elijah when he pleaded, "I just can't breathe properly". He went on to say, they were trained to "check on" a person in "respiratory distress", and immediately call for "medical assistance".
In my view: Instead of doing their "duty" to "serve and protect", they told paramedics stories about "crazy strength" and gun grabbing, with no mention of Elijah's critical state. Equally, the paramedics injected the overdose of ketamine without checking his vitals or attempting to talk to him, solely based on the scenario presented by the assailant officers. "Excited delirium" was the EMTs' unfounded snap diagnosis. The defense attempted to shift blame to the sergeant on duty, during it's cross-examination.
During the more than four hours testimony of Mark Brown, one particular statement seemed all-encompassing of the accused failure to perform their duty:
"My opinion is that during the restraint their actions were inconsistent with this directive. During the restraint, Mr. McClain several times complained that he was having trouble breathing and during the restraint period there was no indication that they monitored his breathing or pulse. And when he complained of having trouble breathing, there was no adjustment made to him and he was on his side at the time."; Brown testified.
The trial has yet to touch on the unnecessary force seemingly used by defendants, Roedema and Rosenblatt. Not only did they not care for Elijah, the audio from the doffed body cams suggest to me, they were still roughing him up in the early stages of his distress, at least. The whole time they seemed to be acting out a scenario of resistance for the cameras lying on the grass. This is just my impression watching the footage. Elijah was still handcuffed and wearing the mask, which almost certainly contributed to his inability to breathe. If I were a jury of 12 in this trial, the body cam footage would be enough for the case to have been long since decided.
Other witnesses included an Aurora PD CSI that photographed the Adams County coroner's autopsy, and officer Darren Dunson. The prosecution showed the body cam footage of Dunson, who came on the scene after McClain had been assaulted and restrained. The trial is scheduled to resume on Tuesday, October 3rd.
Click here 🧠 for the full account of what was done to Elijah.
Justice for Elijah McClain – Trial Update for Friday, Oct 6th:
⚠️ CW: Police Violence against People with Invisible Disabilities.
Forensic pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell resumed his testimony for the prosecution Friday. A large portion of the questioning was in redirect of the defense's cross-examination of Mitchell yesterday. Prosecutors rested their case following the testimony of the expert witness.
The jury was then excused for an extended period of legal wrangling by attorneys, over definition of certain terms. One of the attorneys for defendants, Roedema and Rosenblatt also argued that, none of the witnesses directly implicated either of the accused officers. Citing that testimony focused on conduct of "officers" in general, they again shifted blame to the ketamine and paramedics.
In the afternoon session, the officer's attorneys requested a detailed written account of the complaints against the defendants, known as a bill of particulars. With the jury still absent, attorneys for the accused continued their argument about "officer" implication and ketamine as the cause of death. Rosenblatt's attorney raised the question; could his client have known in advance, that EMTs would issue a fatal dose of ketamine to Elijah McClain? He answered himself saying, "...no."
Attorneys for each of the defendants also filed a "Motion for Judgment of Acquittal", under rule 29 of Colorado law. It's an option afforded to the defense in criminal trials, once prosecutors have finished presenting their case. Motion, denied! After the court asked Roedema and Rosenblatt if they would be testifying, the defense ultimately, called no witnesses and rested their case. It seems they will be using evidence presented by the prosecution to refute the claims, that the two officers were responsible for killing Elijah McClain.
A pretrial proceeding in the case of the first officer on the scene, Nathan Woodyard, is scheduled for Monday. Woodyard, who's being tried alone, put his hands on Elijah within 10 seconds of exiting his vehicle. Roedema and Rosenblatt arrived seconds later, further escalating the interaction with the 23-year-old autistic man. It's likely, Woodyard's defense may also shift blame to paramedics while attempting to separate the accused from the actions of the other two officers on trial. He is also charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and assault.
Jurors in the Roedema and Rosenblatt trial will return to court Tuesday, when closing argument are expected to begin.
Click here 🧠 for the full account of what was done to Elijah.
I was sick, and you said "You look fine to me".
I was sick, and you cast me off.
I was sick, and you used it against me.
I was sick, and you took my health care.
I was sick, and you battered and killed.
I was sick, and you fought for a wooden hammer.
I was sick, and you fought about blue and red.
I was sick, and you fought as the nations watched with disdain.
I was sick, and you fought the "wrong" while resembling it.
I was sick, as you fought for "all" but, forgot about us.
My adaptation of Matthew 25:39 inspired by the work below. (Not an endorsement for religion or church)
I was hungry, and you blamed it on the communist
I was hungry, and you circled the moon.
I was hungry, and you told me to wait
I was hungry, and you set up a commission.
I was hungry, and you said "So were my ancestors".
I was hungry, and you said we don't hire over 35.
I was hungry, you said God helps those…
I was hungry, and you told me I shouldn't be.
I was hungry, and you told me machines do that work now.
I was hungry, and you had napalm bills to pay.
I was hungry, and you said the poor are always with us.
Lord, when did we see you hungry?
"As we mark the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this week in 1990 and the 10th anniversary of Human Rights Watch’s work on disability rights this year, I think about the trailblazer Judy Heumann, who influenced both milestones.
Judy, who passed away in March, was a pioneer in the disability rights movement. A member of Human Rights Watch’s Board of Directors, she reminded us that disability is the one family anyone can join at any time. There are more than one billion people with disabilities worldwide – one in seven people. They are our relatives, friends, neighbors, and colleagues living with physical, sensory, intellectual, and psychosocial disabilities, visible and invisible. Some we are born with, others we acquire at some point in our lives. Disability rights should matter to all of us."
I have started sending out cold mails to professors in #socialwork seeking a graduate research opportunity/position in their respective labs. if you are or know of a professor who is #hiring and wish to take masters student for Social Work, I'm opened for recommendations to reach out to them.
Could possibly be worthwhile to also inquire with graduate program coordinators? (The admin within each department responsible for overseeing grad studies.) They're generally really in the know 🙂 GL