Tag Archives: Vietnam

Dr. Cohen Completes Fulbright Scholar Activities

Dr. Ed Cohen, School of Social Work, spent the Spring 2016 semester in Vietnam on a Fulbright Scholar grant. Dr. Cohen developed and taught a course on mental health for undergraduate students majoring in social work at Dalat University, located in the country’s Central Highlands.

The course is the first of its kind in Vietnam for the new profession of social work. Since Vietnam does not have a recent textbook about mental illness, Dr. Cohen developed a course textbook on the prevalence, etiology, assessment, and treatment of mental illnesses specifically geared towards Vietnam and translated into Vietnamese. The course was an elective for a class of 36 final-year students from many surrounding provinces.

“In Vietnam, there is a very powerful stigma about mental illness which is similar to other regions in Asia – made even worse by the intense shame of having a mental illness or being in the family.”

Due to the stigma regarding mental illness, Dr. Cohen said that there is a lack of general knowledge about common problems such as depression and anxiety. However, people want to talk about these problems since the majority of people are suffering from these problems, has a family member, or knows someone with emotional problems. Enter social workers and it provides the people with someone to start the conversation.

During a reception by the U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission in Vietnam, Dr. Cohen received recognition of his contributions to the curriculum, which will be used by the faculty at Dalat University starting Fall 2016, as well as disseminated to other universities offering social work degrees in Vietnam. During his stay in Vietnam, Dr. Cohen also provided conference presentations, workshops on social work in healthcare settings, and faculty seminars on research methods in the social sciences.

Dr. Cohen said that the Vietnamese students show more outward affection to their professors because educators are held in very high esteem. However, the Vietnamese students are much more similar than different to SJSU students. Even though most students told Dr. Cohen that their parents would rather have them study engineering or business, they were proud to major in social work.

“Even though there aren’t enough social work jobs for graduates, they have a lot of class spirit and identify strongly as social work majors.”

The Fulbright Scholar grant gave Dr. Cohen the opportunity to live abroad for the first time, but it wasn’t hard to make friends. He said people are very warm and his university colleagues invited him to many family gatherings. He enjoyed the food while eating at small family-run kitchens and adjusted well even though the communication was difficult at times as the general public did not speak much English.

“I feel like I have just scratched the surface learning about the culture!”

Click here to see a photo journal of Dr. Cohen’s experience in Vietnam.

Dr. Van Ta Park Receives Funding from the Alzheimer’s Association

On Feb. 19, 2016, Dr. Van Ta Park was awarded funding by the Alzheimer's Association to develop a culturally-tailored program for Vietnamese dementia caregivers.

On Feb. 19, 2016, Dr. Van Ta Park was awarded funding by the Alzheimer’s Association to develop a culturally-tailored program for Vietnamese dementia caregivers.

The Alzheimer’s Association recently awarded funding to the College of Applied Sciences and Arts Department of Health Science and Recreation Associate Professor Dr. Van Ta Park for $150,000 over the next three years to develop a culturally-tailored program to reduce stress and depression among Vietnamese dementia caregivers.

William Fisher, the CEO of the Northern California and Northern Nevada Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, presented Dr. Ta Park with the grant check on February 19, 2016. Only the top eight percent of proposals receive funding.

Through prior research, Dr. Ta Park found that Vietnamese Americans are less likely to utilize mental health services and family caregivers caring for a family member with dementia increase their risk of depression and stress.

Dr. Ta Park is developing a face-to-face, four week cognitive behavioral skill training program that will meet at the homes of Vietnamese caregivers in small groups with up to six caregivers at a time.

Participants will be recruited through community organizations that serve local Vietnamese residents and will be divided into two groups. One group will receive existing resources from the Alzheimer’s Association website that have been translated from English into Vietnamese and the other group will receive newly developed resources that have been created specifically for the program. Outcomes of the two groups will be compared using pre- and post-test measures of stress and depression.

Dr. Ta Park will be working with her mentors, Dr. Dolores Gallagher-Thompson and Dr. Gwen Yeo from Stanford University, School of Medicine, and has recruited bilingual and bicultural Vietnamese SJSU students to be research assistants.

SWEEP Launches Sustainability Phase of Work in Vietnam

SWEEP team members and leaders from the VVTA and USAID come together for a group photo during the convening in Hoi An, Vietnam.

SWEEP team members and leaders from the VVTA and USAID come together for a group photo during the convening in Hoi An, Vietnam.

The Social Work Education Enhancement Project (SWEEP) successfully implemented a third Leadership Academy and on January 6th-8th, in Hoi An, Vietnam. The purpose of the event was to support effective leadership and preparation for collaboration among Rectors and Deans of key universities with social work programs in Vietnam. The leadership training was followed by a convening of 24 leaders across eight SWEEP partner universities as well as leaders from the Vietnam Association of Schools of Social Work and Vietnam Vocational Training Association and Vocational Social Work (VVTA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the project’s funder. National leaders in social work agreed to form a consortium to continue notable advances in social work that have taken place over three-years of the SWEEP project. Toward the end of the convening, participants commented publicly about how the SWEEP project profoundly impacted progress in the development of social work education in Vietnam and help to launch leaders on a path for ongoing collaboration. SWEEP team members included: Alice Hines, Principal Investigator and Director; Ed Cohen, Co-Principal Investigator; Laurie Drabble, Faculty Expert Leadership Academy; Tuan Tran, Vietnam SWEEP Coordinator, Hoa Nguyen, and Thao Nguyen, Vietnam SWEEP staff.

The 3rd Leadership Academy pose for a group photo during the leadership training in Hoi An, Vietnam.

The 3rd Leadership Academy pause for a group photo during the leadership training in Hoi An, Vietnam.

During the final day of the national convening of leaders in social work education, Tuan Tran received an award from the Vietnam Vocational Training Association and Vocational Social Work. He was lauded for his commitment and tireless work to further the development of social work education in Vietnam.

Tuan Tran receives an award from the Vietnam Vocational Training Association and Vocational Social Work.

Tuan Tran receives an award from the Vietnam Vocational Training Association and Vocational Social Work.

Dr. Alice Hines and SWEEP Team Receive Prestigious Awards from the Government of Vietnam

Dr. Alice Hines speaking at the final annual summit in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Dr. Alice Hines speaking at the final annual summit in Hanoi, Vietnam

The Social Work Education Enhancement Project (SWEEP) in Vietnam held its final annual summit of Vietnam Social Work Educators, Ministry representatives, and other stakeholders in Hanoi on September 21-22.

One notable highlight of the Summit was a ceremony on day one to recognize Dr. Alice Hines’ outstanding contributions to social work education in Vietnam. Two awards were presented. Dr. Hines was presented with a prestigious award and medal from the Director of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA) for her outstanding work and for the SWEEP project valued contributions to the cause of MOLISA. Officials at the summit said that Dr. Alice Hines, SWEEP Director, was the first American citizen to be offered this award from MOLISA. Past recipients have included United Nations representatives and Ambassadors to Vietnam.

Dr. Alice Hines receives the MOLISA award from Mr. Doan Mau Diep

Dr. Alice Hines receives the MOLISA award from Mr. Doan Mau Diep

Dr. Alice Hines receiving the MOLISA medal from Mr. Doan Mau Diep

Dr. Alice Hines receiving the MOLISA medal from Mr. Doan Mau Diep

Dr. Hines was also presented with an award from the Vietnam Vocational Training Association (VVTA) for “enhancing the quality of education at the Bachelor of Arts level in social work according to international standards and enhancing the capacity of leaders and faculty in collaboration with the Association in research, competency development, and BASW level training in Vietnam.” SWEEP partner universities and SWEEP team members were moved by the recognition of the project success and echoed appreciation for Dr. Hines leadership.

Mme Nguyen Thi Hang (right) presenting the VVTA award to Dr. Alice Hines (left)

Mme Nguyen Thi Hang (right) presenting the VVTA award to Dr. Alice Hines (left)

In this final summit, Dr. Hines reported SWEEP activities and achievement during the last three years, in terms of leadership development, fellowship development, competency based curriculum development, research, and communication/networking.

Panels of leaders and faculty from eight partner universities provided overviews of collective progress and future plans in key areas including the development of competency based education in social work; leadership development and the use of technology for national collaboration; faculty development; and efforts to extend SWEEP advances in social work education to other non-SWEEP universities. Dr. Nguyen Hai Huu of the School of Social Work Association presented the final draft of the competency standards for social work education in Vietnam, which represented a milestone in progress toward institutionalizing new standards for social work education.

Among VIP guests at the Summit were Mr. Le Nhu Tien, Vice Chairperson of the National Assembly Committee on Culture, Education, and Youth; Mr. Doan Mau Diep, Vice Minister, MOLISA; Mme Nguyen Thi Hang, former MOLISA Minister, Vietnam Vocational Training Association (VVTA) President; and Joakim Parker Mission Director, Vietnam USAID.

SWEEP team members and partner universities

SWEEP team members and partner universities

SJSU’s Ed Cohen to participate in Fulbright grant in 2015-16

Ed Cohen, an associate professor in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts School of Social Work, has been selected to receive a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Grant to teach in Vietnam during the Spring 2016 semester.

Ed Cohen, far left, works with a group of Vietnamese faculty members as part of the Social Work Education Enhancement Project. He has received a Fulbright grant to work in Vietnam in Spring 2016.

Ed Cohen, far left, works with a group of Vietnamese faculty members as part of the Social Work Education Enhancement Project. He has received a Fulbright grant to work in Vietnam in Spring 2016.

He will teach a course in mental health policy and services, conduct research in the implementation of new legislation in the country to improve community-based mental health services, and provide seminars for faculty in teaching and scholarship. Cohen is Co-Investigator, with Alice Hines, of San José State University’s USAID-funded Social Work Education Enhancement Program (SWEEP) aimed at improving social work education, for Vietnam’s newly established social work profession.

As the co-investigator of SWEEP, Cohen has traveled to conferences in Vietnam for the last several years to work with eight partner universities. He has also participated in hosting visitors to SJSU from Vietnam including university administrators and faculty member who attended workshops on improving social work education in Vietnam.

SWEEP is an international consortium which includes USAID, SJSU, eight universities in Vietnam, government ministries, Cisco Systems, Inc., community agencies and stakeholders. The purpose of SWEEP is to assist eight universities in Vietnam with improving their undergraduate social work educational programs. The project, which is funded through September 2015, aims to improve:

  • The administration of social work programs
  • Faculty capabilities in teaching and research
  • Social work curriculum, and
  • Network communication among the universities through the use of improved technology