Meet Em Strout!
Em Strout graduated with their MSW and Trauma Certificate in 2019. They currently live in Portland, Maine as a Day Treatment Social Worker at Maine Behavioral Health’s Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders.
What does your job entail?
I support students (ages 5-20) in an intensive autism day treatment program. I work with students one on one as well as coordinate care between other providers, help families navigate treatment for their child, and also hold a small caseload of outpatient clients as well.
How are you using what you learned at UNE in your current practice?
UNE’s emphasis on interprofessional education has been an incredibly important skill that I have taken with me from my time at UNE. Learning how to communicate and work within a team of different disciplines was very valuable and has been important to my work.
What did you find most inspiring about your education at UNE?
The most exciting part of my time at UNE was the opportunity to explore and expand my interests. Between research projects and certificates, there are many ways to “try out” new areas of social work that you might not be familiar with yet.
Is there anything you’ve been surprised by in entering the Field of Social Work?
How supportive the social work community is! Finding group supervisions, online training, and keeping contacts with my grad school cohort has been so helpful.
How has COVID19 Impacted your work?
My agency went fully online for 3 months, but we have been back in person since June. COVID-19 has significantly changed the ways that our program is run and how we work with our students. However, we are grateful that our program is small and that we are able to meet the needs of our students by meeting in person.
If you could share advice to incoming MSW students, what would it be?
Be open! Everyone you meet will have so much different experience, knowledge, and expertise than you, and it can be an amazing opportunity to learn from one another.
