Ronald Gene Lewis (December 3, 1941 – April 14, 2019) was the first American Indian to receive a PhD in the field of social work (which he received from the University of Denver) in 1974,[1] was declared a NASW Social Work Pioneer, and has become known as the “Father of American Indian Social Work.”
In addition, he was the first American Indian tenured in the University of Wisconsin System,[2][3] first American Indian Full Professor in the field of Social Work, and first American Indian to hold the position of "Dean" in Canada.
Beyond the academic world, Lewis was a psychiatric social worker who developed mental health programs for American Indians at the Tahlequah and Claremore Indian Hospitals in Oklahoma and later for the state of Oklahoma. As the director of the Indian Liaison Office at the Fitzsimons Medical Hospital in Aurora, Colorado, he worked with returning American Indian Vietnam veterans. Lewis also trained hospital and medical personnel about culturally appropriate services for American Indians. Always a political activist, during this time Lewis was also at the Wounded Knee Incident in 1973 and the Alcatraz takeover.
Landmark legislation concerning culturally appropriate services for American Indian people is an important part Lewis’s work.[5] Well known as a leading expert on American Indian social problems, he has published extensively on federal policy in Indian Country, child abuse and neglect, and alcoholism and the American Indian (which became a special report to the U.S. Congress in 1980). He and his work also contributed to the creation of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978. Lewis has made contributions to American Indian issues at every level, including meetings with U.S. presidents, reports to Congress, and creating curriculum at universities.
^Bill Hurley (25 February 1980). "Program Teaches Indians to Assist Indians". Milwaukee Sentinel. Retrieved 1 May 2012. [dead link]
^"Ronad G. Lewis, DSW." NASW Foundation. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
^Barbara Dembski (22 March 1981). "Filling Roles May Lead to Alcoholism". Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved 1 May 2012. [dead link]
^"Ronald Gene Lewis". Muskogee Phoenix. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
April 12, 2024
ronald, lewis, other, people, with, similar, names, ronald, lewis, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verifica. For other people with similar names see Ronald Lewis This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Ronald G Lewis news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article is written like a personal reflection personal essay or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor s personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style December 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Ronald Gene Lewis December 3 1941 April 14 2019 was the first American Indian to receive a PhD in the field of social work which he received from the University of Denver in 1974 1 was declared a NASW Social Work Pioneer and has become known as the Father of American Indian Social Work Ronald G LewisBorn 1941 12 03 December 3 1941Muskogee Oklahoma U S DiedApril 14 2019 2019 04 14 aged 77 Columbia South Carolina U S Alma materUniversity of DenverOccupationSocial workerChildren3In addition he was the first American Indian tenured in the University of Wisconsin System 2 3 first American Indian Full Professor in the field of Social Work and first American Indian to hold the position of Dean in Canada Born in Muskogee Oklahoma Lewis had his first academic appointment in 1975 at the University of Oklahoma s School of Social Work 4 From there Lewis was tenured at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Arizona State University and at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College as Dean Additionally Lewis has guest lectured across the country at universities for 30 years Beyond the academic world Lewis was a psychiatric social worker who developed mental health programs for American Indians at the Tahlequah and Claremore Indian Hospitals in Oklahoma and later for the state of Oklahoma As the director of the Indian Liaison Office at the Fitzsimons Medical Hospital in Aurora Colorado he worked with returning American Indian Vietnam veterans Lewis also trained hospital and medical personnel about culturally appropriate services for American Indians Always a political activist during this time Lewis was also at the Wounded Knee Incident in 1973 and the Alcatraz takeover Landmark legislation concerning culturally appropriate services for American Indian people is an important part Lewis s work 5 Well known as a leading expert on American Indian social problems he has published extensively on federal policy in Indian Country child abuse and neglect and alcoholism and the American Indian which became a special report to the U S Congress in 1980 He and his work also contributed to the creation of the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978 Lewis has made contributions to American Indian issues at every level including meetings with U S presidents reports to Congress and creating curriculum at universities Lewis died from cancer in Columbia South Carolina on April 14 2019 at the age of 77 6 References edit Jerome Bailey 25 May 1978 Indians Question Health Care Milwaukee Journal Retrieved 18 March 2011 dead link Jim Morice 23 May 1977 Indian Pioneer in Academia Milwaukee Sentinel Retrieved 1 May 2012 dead link Bill Hurley 25 February 1980 Program Teaches Indians to Assist Indians Milwaukee Sentinel Retrieved 1 May 2012 dead link Ronad G Lewis DSW NASW Foundation Retrieved 18 July 2012 Barbara Dembski 22 March 1981 Filling Roles May Lead to Alcoholism Milwaukee Journal Retrieved 1 May 2012 dead link Ronald Gene Lewis Muskogee Phoenix 8 May 2019 Retrieved 12 February 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ronald G Lewis amp oldid 1138897338, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
