Tagged With "intro to blogging"

It's important for Extension Programs to stay current on the latest strategies for engaging with their audiences and be able to adapt and create new strategies in order to reach their communities more widely or effectively. The Extension Foundation offers a variety of resources to help you discover new ways to reach, understand and engage with your audience. Through Connect Extension, you can find videos and publications that can teach you new strategies to improve engagement and promotion...

By Dr. Tiffany Lange, Psy.D. (she/her/hers) LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, and related identities) people have existed throughout history (e.g., two-spirit in Native American cultures) and are present in every aspect of society – they are the people we know, the people we love, and even the people who serve in our military. In the United States (U.S.), less than 1% of the population volunteer to serve in the armed forces and there are often assumptions about...

By Dr. Tiffany Lange, Psy.D. (she/her/hers) In a society where conformity is expected and non-conformity must be “explained”, there are many misperceptions about the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, and related identities) community. Biology and nature are not binary categories, our world is full of spectrums. Yet, society often oversimplifies people and identities into binary categories: we’re either “this” or “that.” Known as social categorization, this...

U.S. consumers haven’t just experienced a “perfect storm” of financial challenges…they have experienced a “perfect tornado!” Challenging financial events include sustained high inflation (and increased costs for food, utilities, rent, gas, insurance, housing, etc.), recession fears, increased interest rates, bank failures and government bank take-overs, volatile stock prices, lower savings rates, and increasing household debt. Extension professionals routinely answer questions from clients...

By: Sara Croymans adapted by Anna Peterson Part 1 of this blog post introduced the topic of military mental health and suicide and provided a variety of resources. To learn more, go back and read the blog post here . Many Service members and veterans with mental health needs are not seeking treatment for mental health care. One study found that more than 60% of veterans of the Iraq war that screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety, or depression did...

Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT The end of another summer is upon us. Families have geared up for back-to-school season and that means reestablishing routines that will last through the upcoming school year. With families getting back into the swing of things, it’s important to remember to prioritize self-care and wellness practices so as not to get overwhelmed with a jam-packed schedule. Incorporating health and wellness practices can help reduce the stress that military families...

Imagine you go to dinner with a group of friends and the waiter isn’t able to split the bill. You pay for the meal and your friends quickly transfer their portion via a payment app to you and call it even. You leave the money in the app for the next time you need it. You can probably think of other ways that you and your clients routinely use payment apps in every day exchanges of goods and services. These types of peer-to-peer transactions are

The Oregon State University Extension Service, Forestry & Natural Resources Program is recruiting three energetic, creative, and collaborative individuals committed to sustaining natural resources and strengthening communities and economies. Each of these three county-based Extension Forester positions will serve one of the following regions: Central Oregon – Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook Counties, and Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Northern Willamette Valley – Columbia,...

Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT September is more than just the transition from summer to fall; it’s also a time when we come together to raise awareness about an issue that affects millions of people worldwide—suicide. National Suicide Awareness Month is a crucial period during which we focus on spreading hope, support, and resources to help those in need. We wanted to fully explore the significance of this month, the objectives of many suicide prevention organizations, and how you can...

Each week, the Extension Foundation newsletter dedicates a section to highlight the latest federal grant opportunities available for the Cooperative Extension system. In this blog post, we're excited to share with you a compilation of the most recent funding prospects featured in our newsletter. Cooperative Extension professionals who want to stay informed about these valuable opportunities can easily do so by subscribing to our weekly Connect Digest. You can subscribe to the Newsletter here...

Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT, Virginia Tech Every October, communities across the United States come together to observe National Bullying Prevention Month. Bullying is a widespread problem in the U.S. that affects millions of children, adolescents, and even adults. Bullying behavior is very common. According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 high school students reported being bullied on school property and 1 in 6 high schoolers reported being bullied electronically in the last year (CDC,...

The 1862 land grant institutions face a large task to move beyond their troubled legacy and meet the needs of contemporary people of color. To address racial inequities in extension, we embarked on educational and institutional change activities. We share three key lessons: the need to take time for building relationships of trust, to tailor individual communication about diversity, equity, and inclusion work for different colleagues, and to re-think the sources of expertise in extension work.

Stay current with trending financial topics in order to effectively serve clients. Here is a brief description of five trending financial topics related to current events, economics, legislation, and consumer behavior. Implications for military families are described.

Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT There are so many ways for kids and teens to connect online. It’s more than just social media platforms; there are chatrooms, instant and direct messaging apps, and online video games. For military families, these virtual spaces are great ways for kids and teens to stay connected to a deployed parent or service member, as well as ways to stay connected with long-distance friends. However, these online areas share the hazards of being places where bullying...

Brown (2023) estimates that nearly 62% of Americans have a pet, and half of pet owners not only consider their pets to be a part of their family but say they are as much a part of their family as a human member. Identify ways for pet ownership to teach financial responsibility and explore special considerations for military families, including the new pet transportation allowance for CONUS and OCUNUS PCS moves.

Thank you for the timely blog post on this interesting topic.

Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT Cases involving problematic sexual behaviors (PSBs) among children can be challenging for clinicians and non-clinicians to navigate. Clinicians are often working with the family or families involved, including parents and caregivers, but may also need to work with non-clinicians within the school systems the children are in. Addressing problematic sexual behaviors among children also has an added layer when cases take place or involve Department of Defense...

Written by: Jason Jowers, MS, MFT April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to promote the safety and well-being of all children and families and to recognize the child welfare professionals and allies who work tirelessly to protect children and youth. When talking about child abuse, one of the toughest issues to face is child sexual abuse. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2024), “Child sexual abuse is any interaction between a child and an adult (or...